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. 2024 Sep 17;4(1):64.
doi: 10.1186/s44158-024-00202-1.

Opportunities and barriers for telemedicine in pain management: insights from a SIAARTI survey among Italian pain physicians

Marco Cascella  1 , Massimo Antonio Innamorato  2 , Silvia Natoli  3   4 , Valentina Bellini  5 , Ornella Piazza  1 , Roberto Pedone  6 , Antonino Giarratano  7   8 , Franco Marinangeli  9 , Luca Miceli  10 , Elena Giovanna Bignami  5 , Alessandro Vittori  11
Affiliations

Opportunities and barriers for telemedicine in pain management: insights from a SIAARTI survey among Italian pain physicians

Marco Cascella et al. J Anesth Analg Crit Care. .

Abstract

Background: The integration of telemedicine in pain management represents a significant advancement in healthcare delivery, offering opportunities to enhance patient access to specialized care, improve satisfaction, and streamline chronic pain management. Despite its growing adoption, there remains a lack of comprehensive data on its utilization in pain therapy, necessitating a deeper understanding of physicians' perspectives, experiences, and challenges.

Methods: A survey was conducted in Italy between January 2024 and May 2024. Specialist center members of the SIAARTI were sent an online questionnaire testing the state of the art of telemedicine for pain medicine.

Results: One-hundred thirty-one centers across Italy reveal varied adoption rates, with 40% routinely using telemedicine. Regional disparities exist, with Northern Italy showing higher adoption rates. Barriers include the absence of protocols, resource constraints, and bureaucratic obstacles. Despite challenges, telemedicine has shown positive impacts on service delivery, with increased service volume reported. Technological capabilities, including image sharing and teleconsultation with specialists, indicate promising interdisciplinary potential.

Conclusions: The integration of advanced telemedicine software utilizing artificial intelligence holds promise for enhancing telemonitoring and alert systems, potentially leading to more proactive and personalized pain management strategies.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence; Pain medicine; Telehealth; Telemedicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Regional distribution of responders to the survey
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Regional distribution of telemedicine-based pain management centers
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Impact of telemedicine use on service delivery in pain medicine
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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