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The following is a summary of “Examining the Effects of Interventional Pain Management Staff Controlled Substance Agreement Education for Patients with Chronic Non-Cancer Intrathecal Drug Delivery Device Opioid Therapy: A Retrospective Review,” published in the May 2025 issue of Journal of Pain Research by Hoffmann et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the use of controlled substance agreements (CSAs) and patient education in managing intrathecal drug delivery system (IDDS) opioid therapy for chronic pain and spasticity.  

They reviewed electronic medical records (EMR) at an interventional pain clinic to quantify how many individuals receiving IDDS opioid therapy for non-cancer chronic pain had signed CSAs. An educational intervention aimed to improve staff awareness of CSA compliance and the correct EMR documentation location. A follow-up record review and provider surveys were used to assess the intervention’s effectiveness.  

The results showed improved staff understanding of CSAs, rising from 14.3% (3/21) to 45.5% (10/22) after the educational intervention. Staff ability to locate CSAs in the EMR increased slightly from 38.1% (8/21) to 40.9% (9/22). Documentation of CSAs rose from 4.5% to 74.5%. Additionally, there was a 39.5% reduction in rescheduled IDDS appointments within the study group.  

Investigators concluded that a simple educational intervention improved staff compliance with controlled substance agreement documentation and was associated with fewer missed or rescheduled IDDS appointments in individuals receiving opioid therapy for chronic non-cancer pain. 

Source: dovepress.com/examining-the-effects-of-interventional-pain-management-staff-controll-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JPR