Identifying Strategies to Improve Implementation of Integrative Pain Management in Primary Care

Area of Science:

• Integrative health
• Pain management
• Primary care

Background:

• Growing evidence supports integrative pain management (IPM) in primary care.
• Limited understanding exists regarding primary care clinicians' experiences with IPM integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore primary care clinicians' experiences, recommendations, and strategies for integrating IPM into clinical practice.
• To identify barriers and facilitators to IPM implementation in primary care settings.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews with 14 primary care clinicians (MDs, PA, LCSW, PharmD) after initial recruitment survey.
• Thematic analysis of transcribed interviews to identify key themes.
• Study conducted with clinicians from the WWAMI region Practice and Research Network.

Main Results:

• Clinicians highlighted the need for a paradigm shift in chronic pain treatment, emphasizing adaptability.
• Key challenges identified include time constraints, payment structures, and resource availability.
• System-level improvements and patient-level factors also impact IPM integration.

Conclusions:

• Family medicine is well-positioned for IPM integration due to its whole-person care approach.
• Collaboration with behavioral health and pharmacists is crucial for successful IPM.
• Addressing knowledge gaps, improving comfort, and expanding payment for non-pharmacologic and team-based care are essential.