• Metasebia Assefa, Isabelle LeClerc, Elizabeth Muggah, Raywat Deonandan, Charles Godbout, and Hillel M Finestone.
• Research Project Coordinator at the Children's Aid Society in Toronto, Ont, and was a master's degree student in the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa in Ontario at the time of the study.
• Can Fam Physician. 2023 Mar 1; 69 (3): e52e60e52-e60.

Problem AddressedChronic noncancer pain is often excessively managed with medications (most notably opioids) instead of nonpharmacologic options or multidisciplinary care-the gold standards.Objective Of ProgramTo offer an effective alternative to pharmacologic management of chronic noncancer pain in primary care.Program DescriptionPatients 18 years of age or older with chronic noncancer pain were referred by family physicians or nurse practitioners in a family health team (outpatient, multidisciplinary clinic) in Ottawa, Ont. A registered nurse used the Pain Explanation and Treatment Diagram with patients, taught self-management skills (related to habits [smoking, consumption of alcohol, diet], exercise, sleep, ergonomics, and psychosocial factors), and referred patients to relevant resources.ConclusionA nurse-led chronic pain program, initiated without extra funding, was successfully integrated into a primary care setting. Among the participating patients in the pilot project, outcomes related to pain intensity, pain interference with daily living, and opioid use were encouraging. This program could serve as a model for improving chronic noncancer pain management in primary care.Copyright © 2023 the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

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