A form to report pain assessment and monitoring in the oncology clinical record: a Delphi process
A Short Communication article, published in Future Oncology, aimed to produce a validated form for reporting pain assessment and monitoring in clinical records to help build homogeneous and standardized procedures in clinical practice.
Abstract
Background: Treatment of cancer pain remains suboptimal worldwide. In Italy, a law requires that pain be regularly assessed and reported in both medical and nursing records. Aim: To provide a homogeneous form to get exhaustive clinical information in the clinical report according to Italian legislation. Methods: A board, including oncologists and pain therapists, designed a form to report the pain characteristics of cancer patients in Italy in clinical records. The form was voted on through a Delphi process among directors of 18 clinical oncology specialization schools in Italy to obtain agreement on its content. Results: A form useful for collecting and reporting comprehensive and homogeneous information on pain among oncologists in Italy was produced. Conclusion: The development of common strategies for pain management can be improved by using this tool.
Summary points
- A group of clinicians, including oncologists and pain management experts, designed a form to record the pain characteristics of cancer patients.
- The form was improved following a Delphi process to obtain a tool that could be accepted and easily used by any oncologist in Italy.
- This tool could improve the management of pain in cancer patients in Italy.
