Chronic Pain and Mood Disorders Are Not Barriers to Symptom Improvement Under Collaborative Co-managed Care (C3).

ObjectivesPatients with comorbid chronic pain and mood disorders have more severe gastrointestinal disease and higher healthcare expenses than their peers. We sought to determine whether management under our innovative Collaborative Co-Managed Care (C3) general gastroenterology care model improved outcomes.MethodsPatient questionnaires completed by outpatients at our GI Motility Center were analyzed alongside demographic information to determine predictors of response to treatment based on adequate relief of gastrointestinal symptoms and improvement in quality of life.ResultsThese comorbidities did not significantly impair response and may be associated with improved response under our model.ConclusionsThe C3 general gastroenterology care model anchors on setting expectations and team-based communication and improves outcomes of, and access to, care.