Patients’ Experiences with an Interdisciplinary Team Assessment of Chronic Pain: A Qualitative Interview Study

Chronic pain is a widespread issue, and it is important to find interventions that are effective and valued by patients. At the study hospital, an interdisciplinary approach is often used, involving an assessment by a psychologist, physiotherapist, and doctor. We wanted to examine patients' experiences with this interdisciplinary approach. We conducted semi-structured interviews with nine patients at the Pain Department at the University Hospital of North Norway. The interviews were conducted in January and February 2023. The interviews were analyzed using a phenomenological approach. Overall, our results suggest that an interdisciplinary approach is perceived as beneficial by patients with chronic pain. Four themes were highlighted. The first theme was that patients felt their pain was understood in a holistic manner. The second theme was that the participants felt seen and understood. The third theme emphasized the value of having further actions recommended and initiated. The fourth theme was a feeling of being overwhelmed by an interdisciplinary approach. A majority of the participants found an interdisciplinary approach to be helpful. However, some patients may find it challenging to meet the entire interdisciplinary team at once.