Optimal health care for people with headache

Headache disorders are largely treatable, but effective care fails to reach most people. Drugs for headache are not the only things patients need, and these drugs will not make an impact without improvements in health care services overall.

The Global Campaign aims to bring better health care to people with headache.  This involves planning and implementing quality health care services.

Fourteen specialist centers in Europe evaluated the quality of their services based on 9 domains:

• Accurate diagnosis 
• Individualized management 
• Appropriate referral pathways 
• Education of patients 
• Convenience and comfort 
• Patient satisfaction 
• Care that is efficient and equitable
• Outcome assessment 
• Patient safety

They used 26 indicators of optimal care, and translated evaluation instruments to 10 languages.  They found that these quality indicators were useful for uncovering deficits and setting benchmarks for care.  The full paper can be downloaded here.

Moving forward

For researchers

• The next big step is to take the evaluation process into primary care, where most patients with headache are treated.

For clinicians

• Evaluate your clinic's approach to headache management according to these benchmarks.

For people with headache

• Be aware of standards for optimal headache management.  It does not start and end with painkillers.

References:

Schramm S, Uluduz D, Gouveia RG, Jensen R, Siva A, Uygunoglu U, Gvantsa G, Mania M, Braschinsky M, Filatova E, Latysheva N, Osipova V, Skorobogatykh K, Azimova J, Straube A, Eren OE, Martelletti P, De Angelis V, Negro A, Linde M, Hagen K, Radojicic A, Zidverc-Trajkovic J, Podgorac A, Paemeleire K, De Pue A, Lampl C, Steiner TJ, Katsarava Z. Headache service quality: evaluation of quality indicators in 14 specialist-care centres. J Headache Pain. 2016 Dec;17(1):111.

Peters M, Jenkinson C, Perera S, Loder E, Jensen R, Katsarava Z, Gil Gouveia R, Broner S, Steiner TJ. Quality in the provision of headache care. 2: defining quality and its indicators. J Headache Pain. 2012;13:449–457.

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