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* From the Wasser Pain Management Centre, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario; the
Department of Anesthesia, Montreal Heart Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec; the
Department of Family Medicine, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec; the
Health Science Centre Pain Clinic, Winnipeg, Manitoba; the
¶ School of Nursing, Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland; the
|| Pain Management Unit, Queen Elizabeth II Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia; the
** St Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia; the
Multidisciplinary Pain Centre, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta; the
Chronic Pain Centre, Saskatoon Health Region, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; the
Department of Anesthesia, Clinique Anti-douleur, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Address correspondence to: Dr. Philip Peng, McL 2-405 Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 2S8, Canada. Phone: 416-603 5118; Fax: 416-603 6494; E-mail: philip.peng{at}uhn.on.ca
Purpose: The objective of this survey was to examine the services offered by multidisciplinary pain treatment facilities (MPTFs) across Canada and to compare access to care at these MPTFs.
Methods: A MPTF was defined as a clinic that advertised specialized multidisciplinary services for the diagnosis and management of patients with chronic pain, having a minimum of three different health care disciplines (including at least one medical speciality) available and integrated within the facility. The search method included approaching all hospital and rehabilitation centre administrators in Canada, the Insurance Bureau of Canada, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board or similar body in each province. Designated investigators were responsible for confirming and supplementing MPTFs from the preliminary list for each province. Administrative leads at each eligible MPTF were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire regarding their MPTF infrastructure, clinical, research, teaching and administrative activities.
Results: Completed survey forms were received from 102 MPTFs (response rate 85%) with 80% concentrated in major cities, and none in Prince Edward Island and the Territories. The MPTFs offer a wide variety of treatments including non-pharmacological modalities such as interventional, physical and psychological therapy. The median wait time for a first appointment in public MPTFs is six months, which is approximately 12 times longer than non-public MPTFs. Eighteen pain fellowship programs exist in Canadian MPTFs and 64% engage in some form of research activities
Conclusion: Canadian MPTFs are unable to meet clinical demands of patients suffering from chronic pain, both in terms of regional accessibility and reasonable wait time for patients’ first appointment.
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  P. K. Morley-Forster Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow: wait times for multidisciplinary pain clinics in Canada/Demain, et demain, et demain : les temps d'attente dans les cliniques de la douleur pluridisciplinaires au Canada Can J Anesth, December 1, 2007; 54(12): 963 - 968. [Full Text] [PDF]
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