title: Waiting in pain: a systematic investigation into the provision of persistent pain services in Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document and describe outpatient persistent pain management services in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic survey conducted between 1 December 2008 and 31 January 2010 of 57 services providing outpatient care to adult clients with persistent pain, plus five specialised paediatric services throughout Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Service structure, including funding processes; activity, including client numbers, access to specialised services (inpatient care, pain relief interventions); waiting times; and use of allied-health-professional-based pain management programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 68 services identified, 57 participated in the study. The median waiting time from referral receipt to initial clinical assessment for a publicly funded outpatient adult pain management service was 150 days, compared with 38.5 days for a privately funded service (P<0.05). There was substantial variability among providers in range of services offered, including provision and duration of allied-health pain management programs. The level of service provision for children and rural patients is notably lower than that reported for urban adult constituents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Persistent pain management services are currently unable to meet service requirements adequately, and waiting times are more prolonged for publicly funded than privately funded services. Greater service provision is required in rural areas and for children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC. malcolm.hogg@mh.org.au
authors.forename: Malcolm N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Hogg
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helou
authors.forename: Jacklyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeGabriele
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Farrell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014850:Waiting Lists