Identifying pain problems, healthcare professional perceptions, expectations and challenges in multidisciplinary pain center establishment.

Aim: Before establishing a multidisciplinary pain center (MPC), the pain problem, healthcare professionals (HCP) perceptions, expectations and the potential challenges of MPC establishment need to be identified.

Methods

A quantitative survey study of 1058 Indonesian HCPs. The study uses a national inquiry sent by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) chapter for pain.

Results

99.0% of respondents had met patients with pain as the primary complaint and acute pain as the most common complaint. Insufficient pain management in Indonesian healthcare, insufficient pain epidemiological data and unaware HCP about MPC become problems of pain management in Indonesia. However, most HCP agreed that health facilities should have MPC. Financial issues (insufficient patient insurance) were considered the most important barrier for referring patients to MPC.

Conclusion

The identified core problem, HCP perceptions, expectations and challenges of MPC establishment should become a consideration in the strategic planning of MPC establishment.