Using fine-tuned large language models to parse clinical notes in musculoskeletal pain disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders like lower back, knee, and shoulder pain create a substantial health burden in developed countries—affecting function, mobility, and quality of life1. These conditions are often multifactorial and require clinicians to thoroughly assess their cause to decide on appropriate investigative and treatment approaches. However, the electronic health-care record does not explicitly capture pain characteristics within ICD-10 billing codes, making time-consuming and error-prone retrospective chart review necessary.