Chronic Pain in the Emergency Department.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the experiences of emergency department (ED) use among a population of Rhode Island Medicaid patients with chronic pain and a recent history of frequent ED use, who were eligible to participate in the Rhode Island Medicaid Pain Management program.


METHODS
Qualitative interviews were conducted with twenty-four patients who were either enrolled, or eligible to be enrolled, in a pain management program that is part of a state-funded initiative to reduce ED overuse.


RESULTS
Four main themes describe the experiences of these patients seeking ED care: (1) patients perceive that they use the ED appropriately; (2) frustrations in communication with ED providers; (3) helplessness; (4) changes in beliefs and behaviors with care coordination.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients enrolled, or eligible to be enrolled, in the Rhode Island Medicaid Pain Management program believe they use the ED for true emergencies, but feel helpless and unable to communicate effectively with ED providers. [Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2017-02.asp].
Department of Psychology, Simmons College, Boston, MA.
Elizabeth
E
Donovan
Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI.
Megan L
ML
Ranney
Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA.
A Marc
AM
Reid
Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI.
Janette
J
Baird
Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA; Departments of Emergency Medicine and Epidemiology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI.
Traci C
TC
Green
D000328:Adult; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D003142:Communication; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005639:Frustration; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012237:Rhode Island; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
Medicaid; complementary therapies; emergency medicine; pain