This article was published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) Catalyst: Innovations in Care Delivery by Lentz et al on June 22, 2020 (disclaimer: Spine IQ CEO Dr. Christine Goertz is a co-author). In this paper, authors present findings from a recent roundtable held at Duke University attended by patients, clinicians, health policy experts, scientists, payers, and purchasers. This multi-disciplinary group of 30 stakeholders identified 6 challenges faced by those involved in the development and implementation of integrative pain management programs. These include: 1) financial incentives, 2) gaps (or perceived gaps) in evidence, 3) feasibility, 4) quality measurement, 5) workforce issues and 6) public knowledge regarding the benefits and harms of available treatment options.
This article is important because identification of existing barriers is a first necessary step towards meaningful change as we work to align current pain management practices best practices.
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