Practical Pain ManagementNew EMR Tool Guides Primary Care Providers through Headache Diagnosis

Neurology referrals for headache are often unnecessary and delay appropriate headache care. A Geisinger Medical Center neurologist developed a tool that pops up on the EMR when the diagnosis of headache is entered. It guides with questions and suggested medications. The tool was developed in response to a chart review showing that referrals for headache from PCPs did not regularly document enough data in their notes on headache to reach a viable diagnosis nor were they regularly trying medications before referring.