Randomized clinical trial of a diagnostic instrument for pain complaints.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated use of the patient-administered Personal Pain Tracker in ambulatory primary care practice and tested the hypothesis that use of the instrument is associated with greater patient satisfaction with physician-patient communication regarding pain. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in the offices of 12 family physicians practicing in Los Angeles and Orange Counties in Southern California. Study subjects consisted of 79 patients who presented with pain complaints during the study's enrollment period and who conformed to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients randomized to the experimental arm of the study received and completed the Pain Tracker, and both these patients and control group patients participated in a telephone interview with an investigator 1 week subsequent to their visit. RESULTS: Regardless of the specific nature or cause of their pain, patients randomized to the Pain Tracker group were substantially more likely to report that their physicians felt that their pain was genuine and were concerned about it, asked enough questions about the pain and listened carefully, gave them a chance to provide a complete explanation, and performed a thorough examination. Patients in the Pain Tracker group also reported a higher level of overall satisfaction with their visit. CONCLUSIONS: Use of the Pain Tracker instrument improves patients' perceptions of the quality of physician-patient communication regarding pain complaints and results in greater overall satisfaction with medical visits.