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Power Over Pain Program

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What is it?

The Power Over Pain (POP) Program is an 8-session telemedicine-based program, designed to help people improve their overall well-being from the comfort of home. The program provides each patient with personal, professional guidance on physical activity and stress management strategies to help reduce and control their chronic pain.

What should patients expect?

A Personal Coach
Each coaching session is conducted via phone. Telephone-based coaching has been shown to improve (1) health behavior, (2) self-efficacy, (3) health status, and (4) the management of chronic disease.

Coaching also improves social support. Social support is the assistance and encouragement provided by the patient’s family, friends, and health care providers. Research has found that increased social support can facilitate at least a 30% reduction in pain severity over a 12-month period.

Two Goals: Physical Activity and Stress Management
The POP program encourages development in two specific areas that help patients to control their reactions, triggers, and result in more positive natural responses to

  • Physical Activity. Decreased pain is a benefit of regular physical activity. Research has proven that exercise is effective for the management of chronic low back pain for up to 1 year after treatment.
  • Mindfulness. Mindfulness stress management interventions can decrease the intensity of pain for patients with chronic pain. Mindfulness helps patients focus on themselves, rather than the external stimuli and environmental factors that may contribute to their pain.

How does the coach work with the patient?

Each patient has their own Power over Pain coach. Your coach is another member of your Synovation care team – they are there to listen, guide, and you guessed it, coach. Patients meet with their coach by phone.

The health coach engages a patient in a motivating, therapeutic relationship in a nonjudgmental manner to build trust and set health goals that are in line with their own values and goals, empowering patients to take ownership of their own health.

Coaches also refer patients to the participant manual, which provides access to educational podcasts on opioid medication, how to easily adopt the healthy lifestyle practices of the POP program.

Research has shown that telephonic coaching groups report significant improvement in pain-related interference with function, as well as general health, vitality, and mental health.