Assessment
Opioid therapy should be considered after other strategies have been evaluated. Usually there should be at least a "moderately severe" pain level, defined as ≥5 or 6 on a 10-point scale, and/or pain that interferes with the ability to function at work, school or socially. Both neuropathic and non-neuropathic pain respond to chronic opioid treatment. However, if there is a strong psychological component underlying the pain, opioids are not indicated.
Reportedly, patients treated with opioids without history of abuse or addiction rates of addiction were about 0.2% for those who were prescreened versus 5.0% for those who were not prescreened. The instruments used in TestSTAT's Pain Management Evaluation (PME) are listed below.
The Pain Management Evaluation includes:
Opioid therapy should be considered after other strategies have been evaluated. Usually there should be at least a "moderately severe" pain level, defined as ≥5 or 6 on a 10-point scale, and/or pain that interferes with the ability to function at work, school or socially. Both neuropathic and non-neuropathic pain respond to chronic opioid treatment. However, if there is a strong psychological component underlying the pain, opioids are not indicated.
Reportedly, patients treated with opioids without history of abuse or addiction rates of addiction were about 0.2% for those who were prescreened versus 5.0% for those who were not prescreened. The instruments used in TestSTAT's Pain Management Evaluation (PME) are listed below.
The Pain Management Evaluation includes:
• Framingham Heart Study heart disease prediction
• FHS Heart Disease and Chronic Illness Risk Factors
• Screener and Opioid Assessment for Pts with Pain Revised (SOAPP-R)
• Screening Instrument for Substance Abuse Potential (SISAP)
• CAGE substance abuse screening
• Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)
• DSM-5 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure (CCSM)
• Tobacco and Alcohol Usage, past and present
• Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) - depression measure
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7)
• Prior Use of and Interest in Traditional vs. Alternative Therapies
• 7-item Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Test
• FHS Heart Disease and Chronic Illness Risk Factors
• Screener and Opioid Assessment for Pts with Pain Revised (SOAPP-R)
• Screening Instrument for Substance Abuse Potential (SISAP)
• CAGE substance abuse screening
• Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)
• DSM-5 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure (CCSM)
• Tobacco and Alcohol Usage, past and present
• Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) - depression measure
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7)
• Prior Use of and Interest in Traditional vs. Alternative Therapies
• 7-item Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Test
• PHQ-Panic
• Opioid Risk Tool (ORT)
• Marijuana/hashish Use
• Relevant Medical History
• Family History
• Health Satisfaction
• Height, Weight & Waist Size
• BMI calculation
• Cholesterol Level
• Blood Pressure, 3 readings
• Opioid Risk Tool (ORT)
• Marijuana/hashish Use
• Relevant Medical History
• Family History
• Health Satisfaction
• Height, Weight & Waist Size
• BMI calculation
• Cholesterol Level
• Blood Pressure, 3 readings
• Pain Locale
• Belle Brown degree of Pain Scale
• Neurophysiological Pain Indicators
• Somatoform Pain Measure
• Illness Anxiety Test
• Conversion Disorder Test
• Somatic Symptom Disorder
• Sexual, physical abuse
• Activity Level
• Sleep Quality Assessment
• Belle Brown degree of Pain Scale
• Neurophysiological Pain Indicators
• Somatoform Pain Measure
• Illness Anxiety Test
• Conversion Disorder Test
• Somatic Symptom Disorder
• Sexual, physical abuse
• Activity Level
• Sleep Quality Assessment
Happily, the above measures are all scored, compared and results integrated by TestSTAT into a comprehensive report. It is in PDF form and emailed to the overseeing clinician almost instantly upon it’s completion. The report even recommends what PQRS codes you can bill.
Technician Assisted
Additionally, the Diagnosis, Intractability, Risk, Efficacy (DIRE) interview and the timed Get Up & Go measure can be conducted either during an technician assisted testing, or after self-administered testing takes place. This offers an additional tools.
Mental Health
The TestSTAT method assesses for the five most common mental disorders in medical populations; i.e., depressive, anxiety, somatoform (now called Illness Anxiety Disorder) and differentiate it from Somatic Symptom Disorder, alcohol, and eating disorders. All five of these disorders are especially relevant in pain patients, as they inter-act with pain causing, exacerbating or resulting from pain disorders. An effective pain management program can not ignore these mental conditions.
Read on for a information about how to get paid for doing all this in the next section.