Telehealth mindfulness program eased chronic low back pain in trial
A Boston Medical Center study found a group mindfulness model delivered through primary care telehealth improved pain outcomes for up to 12 months.
By Priya Raghavan · Science Reporter
3 min read
A telehealth group mindfulness program delivered through primary care reduced chronic low back pain and helped patients function better in daily life, according to Boston Medical Center researchers. The findings matter because low back pain is a leading driver of disability and many patients have limited access to non-drug treatments.
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, tested the Optimizing Pain Treatment In Medical settings Using Mindfulness, or OPTIMUM, trial. Boston Medical Center described the model as a scalable approach that brings mindfulness-based care into routine primary care rather than sending patients to a separate program.
The World Health Organization says low back pain affects more than 600 million people and is the single leading cause of disability worldwide. Boston Medical Center said chronic low back pain can interfere with walking, working, sleeping and social activity, and can also harm mental health and overall well-being.
Low back pain is also among the common reasons patients see primary care doctors, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Boston Medical Center said available options can be difficult: medicines carry risks, surgery is suitable for only some patients, and effective nonpharmacological care is often hard to reach.
How the program worked
The researchers evaluated a modified form of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, tailored to treat pain as a stressor. The trial enrolled 451 participants in three states, according to the study details reported by Boston Medical Center.
Participants joined 120-minute group sessions over eight weeks. Boston Medical Center said the sessions were run by a trained mindfulness instructor and a primary care physician, giving participants direct access to a clinician during the program.
The program used gentle stretching and mindfulness activities. According to Boston Medical Center, participants practiced noticing how pain affected their lives and learned ways to adjust their activities and respond to pain.
Natalia Morone, the study’s lead author and a primary care and internal medicine clinician at Boston Medical Center, said the program is designed to teach repeatable skills that patients can continue using after the sessions end. Morone said the study found improvements that lasted beyond the active program.
Results lasted one year
The research team reported significant improvements in pain and in pain interference, a measure of how much pain limits physical activity and enjoyment of life. Boston Medical Center said those outcomes were measured on a 0-to-10 scale and were sustained at a 12-month follow-up.
The trial was built for broad use, according to Boston Medical Center. Researchers used broad entry criteria to reflect a wider range of real primary care patients, and the telehealth format reduced transportation and scheduling obstacles that can keep patients from structured treatment programs.
Boston Medical Center said the model can be billed as a group medical visit, which could allow reimbursement through current payment systems. Morone said the goal is to bring evidence-based treatment into primary care in a way health systems can maintain.
The study was published as “Mindfulness-Based Group Medical Visits for Persons With Chronic Low Back Pain” in JAMA Internal Medicine. The listed authors include Morone and colleagues, with DOI 10.1001/jamainternmed.2026.2186.
This story draws on original reporting from Medical Xpress.