Helping Veterans manage pain after surgery to reduce opioid use
Official title: Reducing Chronic Opioid Use Among Veterans Undergoing Community Care Surgery Using a Transitional Pain Service
Funded at VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System · NIH-11018544 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new program to help Veterans manage their pain after orthopedic surgery, especially when they’re treated outside of VA hospitals, by seeing if virtual support can make their care better and help them avoid long-term use of pain medications.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003599-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11018544 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are Veterans who are scheduled for orthopedic surgery at non-VA hospitals and are at risk for chronic opioid use.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing surgery or those who do not have access to community care services may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a new way to help Veterans manage their pain after surgery, especially when they receive care outside of VA hospitals. It focuses on a program called the Transitional Pain Service (TPS), which uses a multidisciplinary approach to provide better pain management before and after surgery. The study aims to see if this program can be delivered virtually to improve care coordination and reduce the risk of chronic opioid use among Veterans undergoing orthopedic surgery at non-VA hospitals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the risk of chronic opioid use among Veterans after surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that the Transitional Pain Service can effectively reduce chronic opioid use among Veterans after orthopedic surgery, but this specific virtual approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brooke, Benjamin S. — VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Brooke, Benjamin S.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.