• Emily Gray, Morgan Erickson, Ross Bindler, Deborah U Eti, and Marian Wilson.
• College of Nursing, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington. Electronic address: emily.a.gray@wsu.edu.
• Pain Manag Nurs. 2023 Aug 1; 24 (4): 469476469-476.

BackgroundAn opioid task force within an urban public health district sought to increase access to, and utilization of, non-opioid, nonpharmacologic alternatives for pain management.AimsThe COMFORT (Community-engaged Options to Maximize and Facilitate Opioid ReducTion) study was designed to provide virtual multidimensional integrated nonpharmacologic therapies via a cloud-based videoconferencing platform over six weeks to adults with chronic pain who were prescribed an opioid to investigate measurable health improvements.MethodsA qualitative descriptive analysis explored participants' experiences of a novel pain management intervention. A total of 19 participants consented to participate in the study and 15 completed six virtual consultations with either yoga, massage, chiropractic, or physical therapists. Semi-structured exit interviews were conducted, and data analyzed using content analysis.ResultsFive main themes were identified, including unmet pain needs, self-care practices, incentive for participation, perception of a virtual environment, and benefits of the intervention. All participants reported at least minor benefits, with about half reporting improvement in pain levels, and some were able to reduce their opioid use. A virtual environment posed challenges for a few participants who found it more difficult to engage with than in-person therapy; others found the platform easy to navigate.ConclusionsParticipants with chronic pain were open and willing to try a novel way to access nonpharmacologic consultations to address unmet pain needs. Virtual consultations with pain management experts may increase access to, and utilization of, complementary and integrative treatment modalities.Copyright © 2023 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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