Background

Numerous research results show that approx. one in four Danes live with persistent pain. The pain is not only causing reduced quality of life, it also places a substantial amount of financial stress on the healthcare sector and society.

The company EvidenceProfile A/S has developed the screening tool DoloTest® which can be used by municipalities and hospitals to share patient-reported data on pain and quality of life, making it easier to determine the right treatment for the patient. Early action saves more citizens from long-term sickness absence, sickness being one of the primary reasons for absence.

DoloTest® is scientifically validated and part of a measurement tool of a British app that is prescribed by doctors to pain patients in the UK. The app has been developed in collaboration with the British National Health Service, NHS. A pilot study conducted in collaboration with the NHS has shown that DoloTest® can help to improve the outcome of care and treatment for people with chronic pain. The pilot study also showed a reduction in the use of pain medication, fewer contacts with the primary care sector and fewer referrals to pain and orthopedic surgery specialists. In addition, the pilot study showed that DoloTest® could save the British healthcare system for millions of pounds.

Purpose/Vision

The project aims to individualise treatment of chronic pain and find the most effective solution for each patient, which will greatly benefit patients as well as the labour market and the healthcare sector.

The screening tool DoloTest® is to be further developed under the umbrella of Patient@home, making it easier to conduct tests and discover changes in the pain pattern over time in order to better initiate appropriate treatment. In addition, the need for product adaptation and integration of DoloTest® to existing local and regional documentation systems will be identified.

Expected results

Monitoring patients by means of DoloTest® and comparing DoloTest® profiles will make it possible to detect, at an early stage, unwanted changes that may indicate deterioration in the pain disorder. In this way, patients may receive more solution-focused counselling and start treatment earlier. In addition, the treatment centres can save time by identifying and sorting out those who are in need of urgent attendance, rather than seeing everybody. Finally, DoloTest® will provide both patients and treaters with an opportunity to jointly evaluate the efficacy of the treatment and thus more rapidly make appropriate adjustments in the treatment.

It can be difficult for patients with chronic pain to accurately describe to the health professionals how the pain affects their quality of life, but through the visual and numerical test results received from DoloTest® the patients will find it easier to explain the intensity of their pain to the health professionals, the workplace and their relatives. Also, the patients will find it easier to convey the impact of pain on the quality of their lives to the health professionals, workplaces or relatives through the visual and numerical test results from DoloTest®.