Skip to main content

What is the pain scale?

The pain scale is a field within the Vitals section of any note type in Elation. You can document a patient’s present perception of pain intensity on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (highest pain) in the Pain field. You can also document a brief note next to the score, if needed.

Why is the pain scale useful?

The pain scale is useful because it allows you to document a patient’s perception of pain intensity as structured data in Elation. When these scores are documented as structured data, you can trend the scores over time to compare and track the progression.

Using the pain scale field

The pain scale is available in the Vitals section of any note type in Elation. You can record the score in the Pain: field, and if needed, add additional detail for the pain score by clicking “+Note”. Screenshot 2023-02-24 at 12.15.36 PM.png You can trend the pain scale scores over time to compare and track a patient’s progression. Please reference the Chronological Record Guide- Searching for records in the patient’s chart for more information on how to trend structured data in Elation.

Using the Pain assessment coding automation

Premium EHR users can use the Pain assessment coding automation to automatically input the appropriate result related CPT® Category II Code in the billing section of the visit note. Click here to learn more about the Pain assessment coding automation feature .

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the pain scale also available in non-visit notes?

Yes. You can document the pain scale in phone notes, non-visit notes, and email notes.