Exploring Veterans' Experiences Accessing Chronic Pain Treatment in the VA Community Care Network

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Pain Management
• Veteran Health

Background:

• Chronic pain significantly impacts Veterans, particularly those in rural areas facing access barriers to Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers.
• The VA Community Care Network (CCN) was established to improve access to care, including chronic pain management, in community settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of rural Veterans receiving chronic pain treatment within the VA CCN.
• To identify perceived barriers, facilitators, and benefits associated with accessing comprehensive pain management through the CCN.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews with ten rural Veterans enrolled in the VA CCN for chronic pain management.
• Thematic content analysis was utilized to identify major themes from the interview data.

Main Results:

• Veterans reported difficulties with the approval process and finding specialized pain management providers within the CCN.
• Seamless communication between the VA and community providers was perceived as lacking.
• Once enrolled, Veterans appreciated local provider choice, timely appointments, and access to a broader range of pain treatments, including alternative therapies.

Conclusions:

• Streamlining administrative processes for CCN initiation is crucial to improve Veteran access to care.
• Understanding Veteran experiences is key to enhancing the VA CCN and fostering better collaboration between VA and community providers.