Open AccessThe Complexity Model: A Novel Approach to Improve Chronic Pain Care
Author(s) -
Peppin John F.,
Cheatle Martin D.,
Kirsh Kenneth L.,
McCarberg Bill H.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
pain medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.893
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1526-4637
pISSN - 1526-2375
DOI - 10.1111/pme.12621
Subject(s) - blueprint , specialty , chronic pain , medicine , pain medicine , population , primary care , pain management , perspective (graphical) , alternative medicine , intensive care medicine , physical therapy , family medicine , psychiatry , anesthesiology , mechanical engineering , environmental health , pathology , artificial intelligence , computer science , engineering
Objective More than 25% of the US population experiences chronic pain; yet few physicians specialize in the field of pain medicine. This article will review a theoretical model of care that stratifies treatment and patients by level and type of complexity and promotes communication between specialist and primary care providers. Discussion The undertreatment of pain was recently brought to national attention to encourage both clinicians and patients to advocate for improved pain care. The specialty of pain medicine and models of care, challenges of managing pain in a primary care setting, and the reliance on an opioid‐focused approach are reviewed. An evolved model of pain care based on the complexity of pain and emphasizing a dynamic collaboration between the primary care provider and the pain specialist is discussed. Conclusions From the perspective of the busy clinician, the treatment of chronic pain can be overwhelming. The scarcity of trained pain practitioners and the burgeoning number of patients with chronic pain necessitate a new approach that values the complex nature of chronic pain and offers a practical blueprint to meet these challenges.