New App Could Reduce Painkiller Abuse

A smartphone application that is not yet on the market could potentially help reduce opioid abuse for people suffering from chronic pain or for people who are worried about their opioid use.

The app will allow users to track their pain, medication usage, side effects and improvement in pain. Additionally, the app will provide information on how to relax and reduce stress (Ackerman, 2015).

The app is being developed by pain specialists at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, and is currently being tested on sixty cancer and non-cancer patients. According to Robert Jamison, PhD, chief psychologist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, “patients will get a sense that someone is really watching and supporting them” (Ackerman, 2015). Early results from the study are promising.

The app will be made available on both Android and iPhone smartphones.

References

Ackerman, M. (2015). New app could help reduce opioid abuse. Retrieved from http://www.thefix.com/content/new-app-could-help-reduce-opioid-abuse

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