Enhancing Geriatric Pain Care

The investigators proposal addresses the use of patient generated health data (PGHD) - an innovative approach to deliver patient centered care to older Veterans that is characterized by attention to patient priorities, values, and goals. The investigators clinical focus is on chronic pain in older Veterans, which is widespread. PGHD broadly encompasses many sources and types of data. The investigators will categorize contextual PGHD into 3 core components 1) relational PGHD (patient-clinician relationship and patient individual differences such as pain catastrophizing) 2) whole person PGHD (what matters to the patient including patient preferences), and 3) behavioral PGHD (pain self-efficacy and patient actions related to health , pain management, functional status). The investigators study is mixed methods.

In aim 1 the investigators will: Prioritize content for contextual PGHD profile displays to support patient centered care for geriatric Veterans with chronic pain. The investigators will conduct focus groups or interviews with geriatric Veterans with chronic pain and the Veterans caregivers to explore Veterans' perspectives on the content of the PGHD profile displays and the Veterans attitudes toward them. The investigators will conduct focus groups with clinicians about desired content of the PGHD profile displays specific to pain management. The investigators will iteratively prioritize PGHD elements in accordance with pain care management needs of geriatric patients, incorporating results of a card sort exercise performed by clinicians.

In aim 2 the investigators will :Develop a prototype contextual PGHD profile display and evaluate its usability. The investigators will develop a prototype clinician-facing PGHD profile display containing PGHD elements and guides to interpretation/use for clinicians. The investigators will refine the PGHD profile display prototype with clinicians in user-centered design sessions. The investigators will broadly assess usability in a simulation study with primary care clinicians.

In aim 3 the investigators will: Examine the impact of contextual PGHD profile displays on patient adherence, pain function, satisfaction, and shared decision making in a randomized trial. The investigators will evaluate operationalization of the pain care plan and the shared decision making process in the visit by coding study visit recordings. The investigators will assess the impact of contextual PGHD by comparing patient adherence to pain care regimens, pain function, patient satisfaction, and shared decision making process for a sample of 150 geriatric patients with chronic pain in VA primary care clinics. The investigators will compare between-subjects visits that include access to contextual PGHD profile displays to visits without access.

The investigators primary hypothesis is that access to contextual PGHD profile displays during a clinical visit will result in better adherence to the pain care plan at 30 days, compared with no PGHD profile display.

Throughout the project the investigators will work with stakeholders in clinic settings and implementation of the electronic health record to ensure future implementation can be optimized.

Inclusion criteria

• Clinicians are eligible if they are a primary care clinician or PACT member
• including physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and psychologists for Veteran patients over age 65 diagnosed with chronic pain in primary care, geriatrics clinic, or a local or rural CBOC within the Salt Lake City catchment.

Eligible VHA patients will be age 65 and older with a diagnosis of chronic pain defined by ICD 10 codes. Veteran caregivers (including spouses, other relatives, or close friends involved in the daily life of the Veteran) will also be eligible for participation in this study. Vulnerable populations, women, and minorities are eligible to the extent that they are represented in the above described population or are a caregiver.

Exclusion criteria

• Veterans who need a legally authorized representative to consent.