VA Finds Success with Opioid Reductions & Non-Drug Pain Treatments
The VA continues to be a leader in the national effort to reduce opioid prescribing, as well as an important champion for the utilization of non-drug treatments in pain management programs. Now it’s sharing results that show these combined efforts are having success in improving well-being for Veterans living with chronic pain.
A Transformation that Required New Options
At the outset, the VA recognized that a crucial element of reducing opioid use would be the adoption of effective non-drug pain therapies. Thus, it began incorporating options such as chiropractic manipulation and exercise therapy, as well as choices like yoga, acupuncture and electrotherapy into its chronic pain treatment plans over 10 years ago. Many of these options are now featured in the VA’s patient-centered healthcare program called Whole Health.
These changes were not only designed to help achieve the goal of reducing patient dependence on opioids, but also to more effectively treat complex medical issues like chronic pain and PTSD. They dovetail with the evolving scientific recognition that Veterans experience mental health disorders, substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury at disproportionate rates compared to their civilian counterparts.
Resulting Opioid Reductions Significant
Since introducing several programs, including the Opioid Safety Initiative (OSI), the VA has reduced opioid prescribing by 63 percent overall. Specifically, in 2013, around 22 percent of Veterans using VA healthcare were given opioids or other types of medications to manage pain. In 2021 so far, that number is down to just below eight percent.
Furthermore, the VA has found that Veterans with chronic pain who used its Whole Health programs from January 2018 to October 2019 experienced a threefold reduction in opioid use compared to those who did not.
Veteran Feedback Points to Improvement, Too
While opioid reductions provide one important measure of success, what about sentiment from Veterans receiving care?
Some indications of satisfaction can be found in a 2020 report from the COVER commission that says patients utilizing Whole Health options reported better stress levels and more engagement with their healthcare. Results also show that VA sites with greater Whole Health involvement did better on measures of quality performance.
There is additional anecdotal evidence of success found within Veteran testimonials, where they speak of improved well-being in their own words. One example is a Veteran from Chicago who suffers from chronic pain and PTSD, who finds non-drug options help him “ease off” his pain medication.
New Outcomes Support Earlier Findings
These results add to the growing body of evidence that shows Veterans fare better with fewer opioids. For instance, a VA study published last year reveals that patients who received increasing doses of pain medication did not have meaningful reductions in pain when compared against patients whose doses remained the same.
They also align with a VA study published in late 2019 that showed service members who receive non-drug therapies – which include TENS electrotherapy – as part of their pain treatment plans may have lower long-term risks for alcohol and drug disorders, as well as self-induced injuries.
Patient Independence is Another Key to Relief
Like all healthcare programs looking to reduce the use of opioids, the VA model incorporates a variety of tools for helping Veterans manage chronic pain. Those include options that require one-on-one practitioner involvement – physical therapy, massage, acupuncture – and some that, with training, can be managed independently by the Veteran – exercise, electrotherapy, relaxation.
The inclusion of independently managed treatments is a key to on-going relief or recovery. If every pain therapy required one-on-one provider care, it would bog down the system – ultimately taking longer for patients to get the care they need. By having treatments that Veterans can self-manage – whether that’s during the day or especially in the middle of the night – they can get the necessary pain relief in their actual moments of need.
Take the Next Step
If you’re a healthcare provider interested in discovering how non-opioid, self-managed electrotherapy treatment may help your chronic pain patients, complete the form below and check the box to receive a virtual product demo. Then judge for yourself whether the RS-4i® Plus can become an important part of your practice, just like it is at the VA.
The RS-4i Plus requires a prescription. Patients who are interested in discussing this high-powered, non-opioid treatment option with their healthcare provider can download a helpful guide to aid the decision. Get yours today.
Related Resources
Blog: Chronic Pain in the VA - By the Numbers
Blog: Why a VA Pain Specialist Recommends the RS-4i Plus
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