Background: The study was performed to reveal the effect of an individualized personal outpatient therapy program, based on a multidisciplinary assessment, on pain and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic pain.
Methods: Fifty patients were prospectively evaluated before and 3 months after establishment of an individualized outpatient therapy program. Health-related quality of life, pain and pain-related disability, depression and motivation to adopt self-management of chronic pain were assessed. Therapy adherence was tested with a structured interview.
Results: Only marginal improvements were observed in terms of pain and health-related quality of life. Therapy adherence varied between the different therapies.
Conclusions: An individualized personal outpatient therapy program has only marginal effects on pain and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic pain.