Disclosures: Danielle Sarno, MD: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest

Objective: To assess the feasibility of implementing a virtual, interdisciplinary 8-week Functional Integrative Restoration (FINER) spine program and its effects on patient-reported outcomes, including physical function and pain catastrophizing.

Design: Online survey as part of a chronic pain care quality improvement initiative. Verbal assessment of feasibility per group facilitators.Setting : Audiovisual telemedicine group visits facilitated by an interdisciplinary team of physiatrists within an academic PM&R department, pain psychologists, and physical therapists.Participants : 17 participants with chronic nonmalignant spine pain attended the interdisciplinary group sessions, 11 participants completed the full pilot program and post-program surveys (response rate: 65%).

Interventions: An 8-week program entailing virtual sessions twice weekly. The first weekly session focused on various evidence-based chronic spine pain therapeutic concepts, including pain neuroscience education, exercise, nutrition, integrative therapies, such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and psychological therapies. The second weekly session involved participant engagement to practice the learned concepts in a supportive group environment. Online surveys were administered pre- and post-program. Qualitative data obtained through verbal and written patient feedback.

Main Outcome Measures: Physical function and pain interference measured with PROMIS-29 and Pain Catastrophizing Scale; feasibility assessment with group facilitators.

Results: All group facilitators reported positive feasibility. Positive trends in physical function and decreased pain interference (decreased mean and median for interference with day-to-day activities, work around the home, and participation in social activities) were identified. Pain catastrophizing, median score decreased by 4.5 points (27%) and upper quartile decreased by 11 points (41%). Qualitative data revealed that most participants reported high levels of satisfaction, support, learning, and value of the FINER spine program.Conclusions: Group facilitators considered this program to be feasible and positive trends were identified with improved physical function, reduced pain interference, and reduced pain catastrophizing. Qualitative improvement was demonstrated. Future studies include increased sample size, randomization, creating specific patient cohorts, such as opioid use, and assessing health care utilization.

Level of Evidence: Level IV

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/a-functional-integrative-restoration-finer-spine-program-an-interdisciplinary-virtual-care-pilot-study/