Broadening Non-Pharmacologic Options in the Primary Care Safety Net
Partnership to Pilot an Integrative Pain Management Program
High prevalence of chronic pain, soaring use of prescribed opioids for pain, and rising opioid-related deaths have created a public health crisis. Vulnerable populations, including low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, and those most at risk for substance-use disorders, are disproportionately impacted by this crisis.
In collaboration with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, we are evaluating an integrative pain management program at the Tom Waddell Urban Health Clinic in the Tenderloin, a community experiencing high rates of deaths related to prescription opioids. The program includes pain management education for both patients and providers, behavioral health interventions, rehabilitation services, and integrative health modalities, all aimed at improving both the outcomes of patients with chronic pain and the experience of staff and providers.
Outcomes, feasibility, and acceptability of the pilot program will inform broad dissemination of an integrative pain-management program throughout the San Francisco Health Network of the San Francisco Department of Public Health to improve quality of life and reduce opioid-related risks among patients most affected by the burden of chronic pain.
Study Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Maria T. Chao, DrPH, MPA, UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine
Researcher
