2021
Measuring pain care quality in the Veterans Health Administration primary care setting
Luther SL, Finch DK, Bouayad L, McCart J, Han L, Dobscha SK, Skanderson M, Fodeh SJ, Hahm B, Lee A, Goulet JL, Brandt CA, Kerns RD. Measuring pain care quality in the Veterans Health Administration primary care setting. Pain 2021, 163: e715-e724. PMID: 34724683, PMCID: PMC8920945, DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002477.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPain care qualityPattern of documentationSevere pain intensityFrequency of documentationPresence of painSite of painPrimary care providersPrimary care settingCare quality indicatorsQuality improvement initiativesTotal PCQ scoresPatient characteristicsPain intensityPain carePain impactPCQ scoresCare settingsCare providersMusculoskeletal disordersFurther evaluationPainCare qualityHealthcare facilitiesImprovement initiativesUnique visits
2018
Association Between Facility-Level Utilization of Non-pharmacologic Chronic Pain Treatment and Subsequent Initiation of Long-Term Opioid Therapy
Carey EP, Nolan C, Kerns RD, Ho PM, Frank JW. Association Between Facility-Level Utilization of Non-pharmacologic Chronic Pain Treatment and Subsequent Initiation of Long-Term Opioid Therapy. Journal Of General Internal Medicine 2018, 33: 38-45. PMID: 29633137, PMCID: PMC5902343, DOI: 10.1007/s11606-018-4324-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLong-term opioid therapyNon-pharmacologic treatmentsFacility-level variationNon-opioid medicationsChronic painOpioid therapyTreatment modalitiesVeterans Health Administration facilitiesPatient-reported painChronic pain treatmentChronic pain careImproved patient outcomesUtilization patternsOpioid treatmentPrior calendar yearMedication utilizationPatient characteristicsPain treatmentPain careKey ResultsAmongPrimary carePatient outcomesPainGreater utilizationAdministration facilities
2014
Guideline-Concordant Management of Opioid Therapy Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected and Uninfected Veterans
Gaither JR, Goulet JL, Becker WC, Crystal S, Edelman EJ, Gordon K, Kerns RD, Rimland D, Skanderson M, Weisberg DF, Justice AC, Fiellin DA. Guideline-Concordant Management of Opioid Therapy Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected and Uninfected Veterans. Journal Of Pain 2014, 15: 1130-1140. PMID: 25152300, PMCID: PMC4253900, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2014.08.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCurrent substance use disorderGuideline-concordant careOpioid therapyUrine drug testsHuman immunodeficiency virusSubstance use disordersUninfected patientsImmunodeficiency virusUse disordersPatient/provider characteristicsPrimary care provider visitsVeterans Affairs/DepartmentGuideline-concordant managementDrug testsCare concordantGuideline concordanceUninfected veteransProvider visitsPatient characteristicsPatient groupPrimary careClinical guidelinesPain medicineProvider characteristicsPatients
2013
Headache Diagnoses Among Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans Enrolled in VA: A Gender Comparison
Carlson KF, Taylor BC, Hagel EM, Cutting A, Kerns R, Sayer NA. Headache Diagnoses Among Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans Enrolled in VA: A Gender Comparison. Headache The Journal Of Head And Face Pain 2013, 53: 1573-1582. PMID: 24102376, DOI: 10.1111/head.12216.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHeadache diagnosisComorbid diagnosesAfghanistan war veteransPrevalence ratiosVA inpatientVeterans Affairs (VA) health carePrevalent comorbid diagnosesHistorical cohort studyDiseases diagnosis codesConfidence intervalsHealth care needsPost-traumatic stress disorderWar veteransCohort studyPatient characteristicsBack painOutpatient encountersDiagnosis codesHeadache disordersVA usersInternational ClassificationMigraine diagnosisCare needsOutpatient dataVA servicesAgreement Between Electronic Medical Record-based and Self-administered Pain Numeric Rating Scale
Goulet JL, Brandt C, Crystal S, Fiellin DA, Gibert C, Gordon AJ, Kerns RD, Maisto S, Justice AC. Agreement Between Electronic Medical Record-based and Self-administered Pain Numeric Rating Scale. Medical Care 2013, 51: 245-250. PMID: 23222528, PMCID: PMC3572341, DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0b013e318277f1ad.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNumeric rating scaleElectronic medical recordsPain screeningMedical recordsPain numeric rating scaleRating ScaleModerate-severe painVeterans Affairs medical facilitiesPatients' electronic medical recordsMajor depressive disorderEMR dataQuality of careUnderestimation of painSample of veteransPosttraumatic stress disorderHealth care systemClinical characteristicsPatient characteristicsNRS scoresPain careDepressive disorderSurvey scoresPainLevel of agreementStress disorder
2008
Patient race and physicians' decisions to prescribe opioids for chronic low back pain
Burgess DJ, Crowley-Matoka M, Phelan S, Dovidio JF, Kerns R, Roth C, Saha S, van Ryn M. Patient race and physicians' decisions to prescribe opioids for chronic low back pain. Social Science & Medicine 2008, 67: 1852-1860. PMID: 18926612, DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.09.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic low back painLow back painPatient racePhysician's decisionWhite patientsBack painTreatment decisionsHigh doseAmerican Medical Association Physician MasterfileChronic pain patientsPrimary care physiciansPhysicians' treatment decisionsNon-clinical characteristicsStrong opioidsNonwhite patientsPatient characteristicsPain managementPain patientsBlack patientsCare physiciansPatientsOpioidsPhysician MasterfilePhysician behaviorPatient's verbal behavior
1985
Chronic pain: A multiple-setting comparison of patient characteristics
Holzman A, Rudy T, Gerber K, Turk D, Sanders S, Zimmerman J, Kerns R. Chronic pain: A multiple-setting comparison of patient characteristics. Journal Of Behavioral Medicine 1985, 8: 411-422. PMID: 4093976, DOI: 10.1007/bf00848372.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHospital programTreatment historyChronic pain patientsPain management programPain symptomsPatient agePatient characteristicsPain patientsPain programPain problemsOptimal treatmentGeneral hospital programsPain variablesTreatment outcomesDisability compensationAgePatientsSymptomsManagement programMultiple variablesDemographics