Data/results
Retrospective chart reviews showed a total of 85 frequent users
at both agencies in the 3-month time of data collection. Of the twenty
computer generated random sample of participants from the list
of frequent users, 13 agreed to participate (P1 to P13), four were
not available despite phone calls per IRB protocol, and three declined
to participate. A demographic profile of the 13 participants
can be found in Table 2. Participants ranged in age from 22 to 67
and reported having chronic pain from 3 years to 27 years, with participant
P7 reporting having pain for his “whole life.” The four themes
that emerged included: time of day, pain intensity, barriers to and
reasons for using the ED for care, and lack of individualized plan of
care. These themes are described below with quotes from the participants
to support each theme