Helping Veterans manage pain after surgery to reduce opioid use

Reducing Chronic Opioid Use Among Veterans Undergoing Community Care Surgery Using a Transitional Pain Service

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · VA SALT LAKE CITY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM · NIH-11018544

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

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorVA SALT LAKE CITY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM (nih funded)
Locations1 site (SALT LAKE CITY, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11018544 on ClinicalTrials.gov

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.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: 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.

Not a fit: Patients who are not undergoing surgery or those who do not have access to community care services may not benefit from this research.

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 performed: 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

SALT LAKE CITY, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.