Virtual Pain Care Management (COVID-19) (VCPM)

VA Office of Research and Development

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Pain

Treatments: Other: VCPM

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT04539821

C19 20-397

Details and patient eligibility

About

The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating the challenges faced by Veterans at risk of opioid overdose including Veterans prescribed moderate-to-high dose long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) whose usual treatment resources and coping strategies may be inaccessible. This project combines established VA care components to deploy and evaluate virtual models of care for Veterans on high-risk LTOT to meet the dual challenges of maintaining social distancing and delivery high quality care.

Enrollment: 44 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Eligible participants must currently receive LTOT for chronic pain at 50 mg morphine equivalent daily dose

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria at baseline are:

• dementia diagnosis or moderate-severe cognitive impairment
• unstable or severe untreated psychiatric disorder or medical disease that requires hospitalization
• documentation of suspected controlled substance diversion
• inability to communicate by phone

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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44 participants in 1 patient group

VCPM

Other group

Description:

VCPM is a multi-component intervention consisting of already-established care processes and materials. First, the patient is mailed or emailed (based on their preference) an informational packet prior to intake appointment. Second, using the collaborative medication management model established in VHA,3 the intake appointment is led by the CPS using a standardized intake evaluation. The CPS and physician design a plan presented to the patient. If BUP switch is offered and accepted, the physician completes additional brief evaluations, including a history, medication review, treatment planning, and discussion of other VCPM components, using two-way audio-video visits (with telephone as a back-up).

Treatment:

Other: VCPM