telaskoop
Intersectoral Telemedical Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in the Outpatient Management of Chronic Pain
Chronic pain causes a significant impairment of quality of life and social participation among those affected and should be regarded as a distinct medical condition. For many patients, primary care practices are the first point of contact. However, the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain often require an interprofessional approach that takes into account all biopsychosocial stressors.
The predecessor project telaskoop (telemedicine.general-practice.pain-therapy.in cooperation) demonstrated that trilateral video consultations for pain management in general practice—involving patients and medical pain specialists connected via video—are technically feasible. In the follow-up project, telaskoop 2.0, the concept of outpatient, interdisciplinary, and online-based pain diagnostics (so-called pain assessment) was developed. The current project, telaskoop 3.0, is now in the implementation phase and process evaluation.
In addition to family practice offices, telaskoop3.0 also integrates local physical therapists and psychotherapists:
Networking of all outpatient therapists through the creation of a digital platform for exchanging registration documents, sharing diagnostic findings, and holding joint digital team meetings.
Standardized processes with digital registration and trilateral video consultations at the beginning and end of treatment for therapy planning. Individual diagnostic appointments—either in person or online—for physical and psychotherapy as well as social counseling, followed by joint online therapy planning meetings.
The goal is to enable timely, location-independent, interprofessional diagnosis of chronic pain and to plan needs-based therapy in collaboration with the affected patients and the participating therapists. In collaboration with five family practice clinics in South Baden, this new model of care is now being implemented and evaluated in the clinics as part of the telaskoop 3.0 project.
The project is funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor, and Health of the State of Baden-Württemberg.
Preparation and Planning Phase (telaskoop 2.0) May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026
Implementation and Process Evaluation (telaskoop 3.0) June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027
- Training materials are available online at any time
- Easy communication among all therapists
- A digital platform for the secure, rapid exchange of findings and registration documents
- Timely and location-independent, interprofessional pain diagnosis
- Gain expertise through the exchange of experiences
- Appropriate compensation for participating practices
For Medical Practices
The 5 participating primary care practices should, if possible, already be registered as research practices in FoPraNet Baden-Württemberg. One local physical therapy and psychotherapy practice may participate per primary care practice.
During the study period of approximately 6–8 months, from November 2026 to May 2027, each general practice is expected to enroll 5 patients. Each practice should budget a total of approximately 15 hours for the following procedures:
Training: All information about the project is available on a flexible schedule via short video training sessions. Personal communication with the study team is possible by phone or video conference.
Installation of technical equipment: Hardware (microphone/camera) for the video consultations will be provided. The study team can assist with installation.
Procedure for consulting with 5 patients per practice:
Registration via the digital platform
Scheduling by the study team’s case manager
First pain video consultation at the primary care practice between the primary care physician, the patient, and the Interdisciplinary Pain Center via video link (duration approx. 15–20 minutes)
If indicated, individual diagnostic appointments as part of the study at outpatient physical therapy and psychotherapy practices, as well as, if necessary, with the Pain Center’s social worker. Appointment coordination by the study team
Shared digital medical record for documenting findings
Interprofessional online case conference with all therapists
Second video pain consultation at the primary care practice between primary care physicians, patients, and the Interdisciplinary Pain Center to plan further therapy (duration: approx. 15 minutes)
Evaluation: All participants will receive online satisfaction surveys. Family medicine practices can use the FoPraNet digital infrastructure for this purpose.
Project Manager
PD Dr. med. Kristin Kieselbach
Medical Director, Interdisciplinary Pain Center, Medical Center – University of Freiburg
Board-Certified Specialist in Neurosurgery, Specialized Intensive Care, and Specialized Pain Management
Prof. Dr. Andy Maun
Director, Institute of General Medicine, Medical Center – University of Freiburg
Board-certified physician in general medicine, Ph.D. in Medical Science
andy.maun@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Phone: +49 (0) 761 270-72490
Project Coordination
Vera Fleig, M.D.
Specialist in Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, and Specialized Pain Management; currently pursuing advanced training in General Practice; Research Associate at the Institute of General Medicine, Medical Center – University of Freiburg
vera.fleig@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Phone: +49 (0) 761 270-72490
Lisa Steinmetz, M.D.
Research Associate at the Interdisciplinary Pain Center, Medical Center – University of Freiburg
lisa.steinmetz@uniklinik-freiburg.de