Comprehensive/Tertiary Care for Headache: A 6-Month Outcome Study

Objective.—To assess programwide (outpatient plus inpatient) outcome using prospective measures for the first 6 months of treatment at a comprehensive headache center. Background.—There is little published data on the overall programwide efficacy of comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment centers for severe, refractory headache disorders. Methods.—For 1 week each month over a 2‐year period, all new patients completed an initial questionnaire noting frequency/severity of headaches and other headache‐relevant measures. A follow‐up version mailed at 6 months was returned by 218 of 421 patients (response rate 52%). Sixteen percent were treated both in and out of the hospital, with 84% treated as outpatients only. Patients had a mean of 2.50 medical visits after the initial evaluation, and 43% met with a psychologist. Results.—Mean headache frequency dropped from 5.30 to 3.45 days per week (P