“Coffee without pain”: IPEC-Care Program for Chronic Pain
5 December 2025
10.00 (Curitiba, Parana, Brazil), 13.00 (UTC), 14.00 (CET)
Presenters
- Mariana Cozer Siviero
- Prof. Dr. Fernanda Brenneisen Mayer
Moderator
Anthony Breitbach, Interprofessional.Global
Description
The “Coffee Without Pain: IPEC-Care Program for Chronic Pain” is an innovative initiative designed to foster interprofessional education and care in the management of chronic pain. The program brings together students and professionals of the health fields to provide holistic, patient-centered care while enhancing interprofessional learning and caring. Through informal gatherings over coffee, patients, students and professionals engage in psychoeducation groups, promoting health education, physical relief and emotional support for individuals living with chronic pain. This unique approach emphasizes teamwork, compassion, collaboration and evidence-based strategies to improve patients’ quality of life.
Abstract
Background Interprofessional education (IPE) has gained significant attention in the field of medical education, particularly given the complexity of treating chronic pain. The pathophysiology of chronic pain involves biopsychosocial mechanisms, requiring an interprofessional approach for effective management.
Methods: We identified the potential to integrate interprofessional education and care at the Academic Interprofessional Chronic Pain Outpatient Clinic of the School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, in south Brazil. The Interprofessional Education Collaborative-Care (IPEC-Care) Program was initiated in 2020, initially involving medicine and psychology students. In 2023, the program expanded to include students from nursing, nutrition, physiotherapy, architecture, and fine arts. We collected experience reports from participating students to assess the program’s impact.
Results: Over three years, 315 patients received care: 28 (8,8%) in 2020, 87 (27,6%) in 2021, 108 (34,2%) in 2022 and 92 (29,2%) in 2023. The faculty team managed the outpatient clinic, planned educational activities, supervised students in providing interprofessional care, and in organized psychoeducation groups for patients with chronic pain (seven groups in 2023). Students reported positive learning experiences, recognized the importance of interprofessional teamwork, development of clinical competencies and collaboration skills.
Discussion and Conclusion: The implementation of the IPEC-Care Program was gradual and successfully overcame initial challenges. We acknowledge the program’s limitations and the need for expansion to involve more students, implement a formal IPE curriculum, and systematically evaluate patient and student outcomes. Our early experience demonstrate the feasibility of organizing and managing an interprofessional care service for patients with chronic pain, and highlight the benefits of the IPEC-Care Program for both patients
Presenters
Dr. Mariana Cozer Siviero Family Medicine Specialist (Brazil) with complementary training in Pain Medicine. Currently practising as a physician in Bern, Switzerland. Author of „Transforma.dor“.
Email: m.cozersiviero@gmail.com
Prof. Dr. Fernanda Brenneisen Mayer Psychologist (Brazil and Germany), PhD in Medical Sciences, and Specialist in Health Education. Member of the Brazilian National Committee on Medical Student Well-Being (FORSA). Assistant Professor of Medical Education and member of the Center for Teaching Excellence at School of Medicine and Life Sciences of the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR).
Email: fernanda.brenneisen@pucpr.br
Author(s):
Mariana Cozer Siviero, Prof. med., Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Medicine Course.
Barbara Camilotti, Prof. physio., Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Physiotherapy Course.
Graziela Sapienza, Prof. Dr. psych., Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Psychology Course.
Juliana Fernandes Junges Cararo, Prof. Dr. arq., Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, School of Fine Arts, Architecture and Urban Planning.
Miriam Silva da Fontoura, Prof. design. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, School of Fine Arts, Visual arts.
Caroline Elke Gonzaga, Prof. med., Medical Course Coordinator, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Medicine Course.
Jean Tafarel, Prof. Dr. med, Medical Course Coordinator, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Medicine Course.
José Knopfholz, Prof. Dr. med, Dean, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, School of Medicine and Life Sciences.
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