Researchers analyzed 31 high-utilizer patients with a comorbid chronic pain diagnoses between April 2014 and July 2015. The investigators referred these patients to the Duke Medical Pain Service, an intensive outpatient pharmacologic management program. The program features a care team, which physicians specializing in psychiatry and pain medicine headed. Researchers followed up nearly one year to see if this approach translated to cost savings.
Here are four points:
1. Researchers found MPS’ program reduced inpatient costs by 55 percent.
2. The program truncated outpatient costs by 45 percent.
3. Overall, researchers found the program lowered cost per patient by approximately $9,000 annually.
4. Researchers concluded an interdisciplinary treatment modality approach to pain management is effective in treating high utilizer patients and yields cost savings.
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