Acupuncture and Chiropractic Care for Chronic Pain in an Integrated Health Plan

Study Summary

Recent research examines many types of complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies. However, "real-world" use of CAM has been largely overlooked. This project consists of four discrete sets of project activities (that largely follow one another chronologically). Phase1 uses information from the EMR (patient electronic medical records) to identify unique clusters of patients with CMP (chronic musculoskeletal pain), their care within the health plan, and to examine how those in unique clusters may have different uses for A/C (acupuncture and chiropractic) services and/or differential outcomes associated with such care. Phase 2 will conduct a survey of CMP patients from KPNW (Kaiser Permanente Northwest region) to establish a broad sample of patients and their use of out-of-plan CAM services. Phase 3 will collect qualitative data (focus groups and individual interviews) from KP members, KP providers, and acupuncturists and chiropractors from the community to examine KP providers' decision to recommend A/C services, A/C services delivered to KP patients, and patients' decisions to pursue and retain CAM care. A secondary purpose is to have KP members with CMP review planned assessment instruments to improve understandability of the instruments. They will provide feedback on: relevancy, any notable omissions of domains important in patients' decision to use CAM services for pain treatment. They will also provide insight to broader health and quality of life outcomes associated with such CAM treatments. Phase 4 is a prospective cohort study to evaluate health services/costs and broader clinical and functional outcomes associated with the receipt of A/C relative to carefully matched comparison participants receiving traditional CMP services.