Chronic Pain

Abstract
Acknowledgment of the complexities involved in the treatment of chronic pain patients has resulted in the use of multidisciplinary teams. Unfortunately, such teams often consist of professionals who have little direct communication or common philosophy, providing the services. The professionals function in an autonomous fashion. Important individuals, who should be included within the “team,” are often ignored. We believe that successful rehabilitation of chronic pain patients can be best accomplished by an “interdisciplinary” team in which team members share a common philosophy; provide integrated treatment; and work in cooperation with patients, families, primary physicians, referral sources, legal, and insurance professionals. The rationale for the composition, functioning, and responsibilities of an interdisciplinary team is described.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: