I think FPs vastly underrecognize and undertreat chronic pain. Pain management practices of the past need updating, said Brown. And one area ripe for reform is education. We're not well-trained in pain assessment. Many issues in pain management overlap with addiction medicine, and we're not well-trained in that, either.
Patients have the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain.
Pain is assessed in all patients. Policies and procedures support safe medication prescription or ordering. The patient is monitored during the post-procedure period. Patients are educated about pain and managing pain as part of treatment, as appropriate. The discharge process provides for continuing care based upon the patient's assessed needs at the time of discharge.