Health Coaching for Back Pain After Emergency Department Discharge

This study is a two-group randomized feasibility trial of usual ED care plus either remote health coaching or remote education in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic low back pain presenting to the ED. We hypothesize that our health coaching intervention and randomized trial methodology will be feasible and that our health coaching intervention will be acceptable to participants and ED providers. Forty participants will be randomized (20 per group), with 36 (90%) retained in the trial up to 6 months follow-up. Eligible patients presenting to the ED with a chief complaint of acute exacerbation of chronic low back pain will be randomized. Patients will be enrolled during or shortly after their ED visit, asked to complete a baseline questionnaire, and then randomized. Randomized participants will receive 8 calls from either a health coach or education provider, and be asked to complete assessments at 3 and 6 months after ED discharge. Interviews will be conducted with randomized participants and 15 ED providers asking about their experience with the intervention.