A survey of acute pain service in Canadian teaching hospitals

Abstract Background The first national survey to ascertain the prevalence, structure, and functioning of the APS in Canadian university affiliated hospitals was conducted in 1991. This is a follow-up survey to assess the current status of the APS in Canada. Methods We requested completion of a 26-question survey from lead personnel of the APS teams or Anesthesia Departments Canadian teaching hospitals. Results Among the 32 centers that were contacted, 21 (65.6%) responded. Of these respondents, 18 (85.7%) indicated that they have a structured APS (72.22% adults, 5.56% pediatrics, 22.22% mixed). Among the 18 centers with an APS, 16 of the services are led by an anesthesiologist. Eight centers (44.44%) have a regional anesthesia group, of which five (27.75%) have a regional anesthesia group that is distinct from the APS team. Nine centers (50%) offer ambulatory nerve catheter analgesia after discharge home. Fifteen centers (83.33%) use standardized order sets and 13 centers (72.22%) use an electronic record for APS. More than 50% of the centers use intravenous lidocaine and ketamine as a part of their multimodal analgesia. Conclusion Most Canadian teaching hospitals do have a functioning APS. This survey has the potential to generate research questions about the availability of standardized and advanced acute pain management in Canada’s teaching hospitals.