title: Pain Assessment with Short Message Service and Interactive Voice Response in Outpatients with Cancer and Pain: A Feasibility Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pain assessment and monitoring is a prerequisite for its adequate treatment in patients with cancer. We performed a feasibility study on the use of short message service (SMS) and interactive voice response (IVR) to improve pain management in patients with cancer, including terminally ill patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 4 weeks, palliative patients received a daily IVR asking to provide their pain score on a numeric rating scale (NRS) with their mobile phone. If pain was moderate or high, the nurse contacted the patient the same day and, if required, adapted the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen of the 17 invited patients agreed to participate (79%), four died during the study period. IVR/SMS provides a reliable assessment of the pain intensity, and if required, treatment can be rapidly adapted. All patients were satisfied with the intervention. There were no difficulties for the, mainly older, patients in handling this communication way on pain intensity. The mean pain score decreased from 4.78 to 3.33 (P = 0.07). The pain scale of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) decreased significantly from 56 to 35 (P = 0.047).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Monitoring and managing pain with IVR/SMS in patients with cancer at home appeared acceptable and feasible, even in terminally ill patients. The reluctance for actively contacting the professional in case of increased pain intensity is circumvented in this setting. Further research, preferably in a controlled study, is needed to establish the use of this intervention in a larger patient population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kees T C
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Besse
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nienke D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Faber-te Boveldt
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ge H P
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.|Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.|Kalorama Foundation, Beek-Ubbergen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Myrra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vernooij-Dassen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kris C P
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Vissers
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Engels
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D040421:Cell Phone; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010045:Outpatients; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D010166:Palliative Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D049250:Speech Recognition Software; D060145:Text Messaging
keywords: cancer pain; interactive voice response; message service; pain assessment; quality of life; terminally ill