Digital Therapeutic Augmented Telehealth for Chronic Pain: Early Results at a Fibromyalgia Virtual Specialty Clinic

OBJECTIVE: To assess patient outcomes from treatment at a virtual fibromyalgia specialty clinic, inclusive of a prescription digital behavioral therapy. 

BACKGROUND:

Clinical guidelines recommend inclusion of non-drug treatments for optimal management of Fibromyalgia (FM), including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a form of CBT, is empirically validated for FM. ACT guides patients through acceptance and mindfulness strategies for uncontrollable symptoms, as well as commitment and behavior change strategies to reduce symptom flares, increase quality of life, and improve physical and emotional functioning.

Despite strong clinical benefit, real-world adoption of CBT/ACT is limited to only 4.5% annually, largely due to availability of therapists.

A virtual specialty clinic was create to offer personalized, multi-modal treatments inclusive of a digital behavioral therapy (FM-ACT, Fig. 1).

METHODS:

A chart review was performed at a FM virtual specialty clinic (Swing Care) on patients receiving care inclusive of FM-ACT between 12/2022 and 6/2023 (Fig. 2). Data collected as part of the clinic protocol during the first 3 months of care were analyzed.

CONCLUSION:

Improved FM outcomes and high satisfaction were observed among patients receiving care from a virtual specialty clinic inclusive of a digital behavioral therapy.