Group intEgrative MINdfulness Over the Internet Using an Online Platform

GEMINI: Virtual Integrative Medicine Group Visits (IMGV) for Managing Chronic Pain

This is a one-year study designed to improve upon the latest version of an education website for adult chronic pain patients called Our Whole Lives for Chronic Pain (OWL-CP). We will gain feedback from stakeholders, beta test new versions, and add the ability to conduct live Medical Group Visits through and on the virtual platform we are creating, GEMINI.

The objectives are:

1. To create a wireframe version of the Group Integrative Mindfulness over the Internet (GEMINI) website, based on feedback from previous projects, for further beta testing.
2. To engage 8 patients with chronic pain in a focus group or individual meeting (utilizing the video-conferencing tool, Zoom) to obtain feedback on the wireframe version of GEMINI through a usability test and qualitative, semi-structured interview (Cohort 1).
3. To create a prototype of the GEMINI system, using all previously collected feedback data (mentioned above), for further beta testing with both patients and providers.
4. To engage 16 patients with chronic pain in focus group(s) to collect feedback on the patient portal side of the tool, through holding a non-intervention, GEMINI telehealth session using the prototype website. No personal health information (PHI) or medical record data will be collected or recorded during this faux session (Cohort 2).
5. To engage 8 health care providers in evaluating the provider portal through asking them to conduct a GEMINI telehealth session with study staff role-playing as chronic pain patients (Cohort A).
6. To end the project with a tested, active prototype of the GEMINI chronic pain management/education/telehealth tool.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years of age or older (Patients and Healthcare Providers (HCP))
• self-reported chronic physical pain for at least 12 weeks (Patients)
• average pain intensity for the previous week >4 on a 0 to 10 numerical rating scale (Patients)
• English fluency enough to follow instructions and answer survey questions (Patients and HCPs)
• Providers who treat patients for pain will be eligible for inclusion (HCPs)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects who are not willing or unable to participate in a focus group or individual appointment over a video conferencing platform/on the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Worcester campus and watch a computer screen and give feedback (Patients

  • HCP)

• Fetuses, prisoners, and other vulnerable populations are not eligible (Patients & HCP)

• Providers/medical students or residents directly supervised by or reporting to the Primary Investigator (HCP)