Pain Management, Opioid Safety, and PDMP (PMOP)
For Providers
Chronic pain is among the most common, disabling, and costly chronic illness in the US and Veterans are more likely to experience severe pain than the general US population.
Confusion by both patients and healthcare providers about the most appropriate way to understand and manage chronic pain can be a barrier to effective management. This confusion often stems from using a simplistic biomedical model (derived from conventional approaches to acute pain) to approach the multidimensional biopsychosocial condition of chronic pain and can lead to over-reliance on passive therapies such as opioids and procedures.
Stepped Care Model for Pain Management (SCM-PM)
VHA is improving pain care through implementation of the Stepped Care Model for Pain Management (SCM-PM).
| Abbreviations: CARF=Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities |
New Online Training Course
New online training courses provides practical advice for helping complex patients who do not respond to standard medical treatments. Continuing medical education credit is available.
Chronic pain is a significant clinical challenge for both patients and providers. Complex patients who do not respond to traditional medical treatments are often overwhelmed by pain and overwhelming for providers who don’t know what else to do. A new online educational program provides practical advice for helping these patients. Two hours of continuing education credit are available to VA, DoD, and other health care providers.
− For VA Providers
− For DoD & Other Health Care Providers
Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Roadmap for Managing Pain
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The PACT Roadmap for Managing Pain ((Pain Roadmap-PDF): - Assists Facility and Primary Care Leaders more clearly define a pain care vision and establish the support structures needed to successfully implement the Pain Roadmap. - Provides PACT Members with specific strategies and tactics they can use in interactions with other pain care team members and Veterans to promote good pain care. - Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) Site. |
The VA is Leading the Way in Promoting the Individualized Whole Person Treatment of Chronic Pain.
The solution requires the care team to adopt a whole person approach to pain care based on a modern understanding of chronic pain pathophysiology while emphasizing team-based care and the longitudinal relationship between the patient and the treatment team.
Whole Person Pain Care - aims to support patient goals of improved health, well-being, and function by prioritizing safety and active self-management strategies.
The treatment teams focus on non-pharmacologic therapies that involve active patient participation and careful use of non-opioid pharmacotherapy as the preferred approaches to support patients’ progress towards their individual life values.
Chronic Pain Primer
The Chronic Pain Primer provides more in-depth information about caring for Veterans with chronic pain. A brief introductory text that provides basic information regarding chronic pain and multidisciplinary treatment. (coming soon.)
Understanding Pain
Understanding Pain video was developed by VA/DOD to provide individuals, family members, and clinicians with general strategies for managing acute and chronic pain.
Providers Pain Management - Resource Topics
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Literature Alerts for VA Staff
The VA Library Network will provide VA staff an index of recent articles related to opioids and many other areas of interest right to your work mailbox. If you are interested in subscribing to this alert click here.
If you have questions or suggestions for pain-related resources, please send an email to VHA Pain Management Webmaster Group.
Disclaimer: *Links will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites.
