In 2011, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report showed an increasing number of Americans coping with chronic pain each year. Due to this, health care costs were skyrocketing and chronic pain sufferers were dishing out more and more money for continuous treatment.
An estimated 100 million American adults suffer from chronic pain each year and the nation spends roughly $600 billion annually for medical treatment. The IOM recommended a consistent pain management education program for new healthcare professionals, and two US Davis researchers stepped up to the plate.
Scott Fishman and Heather M. Young got a team together to identify the desired skills and knowledge that new healthcare professionals needed to best care for pain patients. The new program is designed to guide physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and physical therapists through a comprehensive pain management curricula.
The July 2013 issue of Pain Medicine revealed the article detailing Fishman and Young’s work entitled “Core Competencies for Pain Management: Results of an Interprofessional Consensus Summit.”
After more than a year of work and research, the team finalized a framework of core competencies in four key areas:
- What is pain?
- How is pain recognized?
- How is pain relieved?
- How does context influence pain management?
Fishman says “We hope to move quickly to incorporate these findings in learning activities for health professional at UC Davis in order to test them, refine them, and help guide further curricular development.”
Southwest Spine and Pain Center also works to improve lives and transform health care by providing excellent patient care. Often times, pain management is inconsistent across healthcare professional programs. At Southwest, the medical team works cohesively to deliver the best care possible. From upper spin pain, joint pain, and nerve pain, to sports injuries and osteoarthritis, Southwest Spine and Pain Center can help with your pain management therapy.
If chronic pain is impacting your life, don't wait to schedule an appointment at Southwest Spine and Pain Center. With four locations and same day appointments, the pain management specialists at Southwest Spine and Pain Center are dedicated to helping those who suffer from chronic pain live the life they want to! To schedule an appointment, visit our locations tab!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
©Southwest Spine and Pain Center, 2013
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