Exploring Referral and Service Utilization Patterns Within an Outpatient Interdisciplinary Pediatric Chronic Pain...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric chronic pain research
• Healthcare services research
• Clinical program evaluation

Background:

• Pediatric chronic pain is a significant issue requiring specialized care.
• Interdisciplinary programs offer comprehensive management for youth with chronic pain.
• Understanding referral patterns is crucial for optimizing program access and effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze referral sources and patient characteristics for an outpatient interdisciplinary pediatric chronic pain program.
• To identify demographic and clinical factors influencing attendance at interdisciplinary evaluations.
• To provide data for improving the design and staffing of pediatric pain services.

Main Methods:

• Extracted referral data from electronic health records (2016-2019).
• Administered PROMIS Pediatric Anxiety and Pain Interference Scales during initial evaluations.
• Analyzed referral sources, patient demographics, and attendance rates.

Main Results:

• Received 1488 referrals for 1338 patients, with increasing volume over time.
• Primary referral sources included orthopedics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, and rheumatology.
• Referred patients were predominantly female, White adolescents; pain interference was moderately elevated, and anxiety was within the expected range.
• Attendance varied significantly by referral source, with lower-than-expected rates from orthopedics and higher rates from physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Conclusions:

• High demand exists for outpatient interdisciplinary pediatric chronic pain treatment.
• Referral source significantly impacts patient evaluation attendance.
• Findings can guide staffing and service design for pediatric chronic pain programs.