Rurality and Use of Specialty Clinic Referrals in Chronic Pain Management

Friday, November 14, 2025

9:28 AM - 9:36 AM CT

Location: 301 - 302

Introduction: Rural populations experience a significant burden of chronic pain, but are less likely than urban populations to receive specialty care for pain management [1-3]. We investigated whether rural compared to urban primary care practices in a single academic health system differed in referral of patients to a specialty pain management clinic, as well as referrals to orthopedics, neurology, and rheumatology.

Submitting Author(s)

HJ

Harrison Jordan, DO

Resident
East Carolina University Dept. of PM&R
Greenville, North Carolina, United States

Co-Author(s)

HL

Heeral Lakhani, MA

Medical Student
Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, United States
JR

Jake Richardson, MS

Medical Student
Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, United States
MB

Maelee Becton, n/a

Undergraduate Student
East Carolina University, United States
DT

Dmitry Tumin, PhD

Assistant Dean of Clinical and Educational Scholarship
Department of Academic Affairs, Brody School of Medicinea at East Carolina University, United States
CF

Clinton Faulk, MD

Professor and Chairman, ECU Health Rehabilitation Center Medical Director
East Carolina University Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, United States