Chronic Pain Ethics

In the article “Brief Research Report Defining Chronic Pain Ethics” it discusses the current issues in the diagnosis and treatments of chronic pain. A program called The Pain Action Initiative: A National Strategy (PAINS) conducted several focus groups in five cities in the US, including;Seattle, Tampa, Boston, Chicago, and San Diego . These groups consisted of people with pain, providers, insurance and pharmaceutical industry representatives, law enforcement agents, and advocacy groups who came up with various issues dealing with chronic pain. The goal was to identify current issues dealing with chronic pain. The groups came up with six main subjects which included: disparities, quality care, trained professionals, opioids use and addiction,

Most primary care providers have very little education on the treatment of chronic pain. Which forces patients to travel a great distance for proper care since most specialists are in concentrated regions. Which makes it hard to have quality care. Most people are forced to settle for under-educated providers, since they are unable to reach a specialist. Health care providers agreed that there were very few lectures on chronic pain when working for their medical degrees(Mcgee et, al 2011). Since most primary care providers lack the proper education to help their patients, the patient usually is misinformed and misdiagnosed about their problem. Also since they lack the needed knowledge of chronic pain, they cannot discuss modalities with the patients and assure patients that their pain can be managed. In addition to having the education, providers must also have the patience to treat the patient, because chronic pain is as serious as any other major disease or condition that takes time to assess and

In the U.S many professional stated that there is a constant fear about chronic pain medication and abuse. Therefore there has been a an urgency to put into place regulations that limit the provision of pain care.Increased regulations, a bureaucratic environment, and additional documentation practices such as opioid contracts have led to mistreatment of those needing care(Mcgee et, al 2011). Contracts have become accepted when it comes to prescribing opioids, but for more of a liability purpose. Contract such as these may conceal the possibilities of other modalities than opioids(Mcgee et, al 2011). This created a difficult situation when it came to who could be prescribed opioids and who could not based on the abuse history. The text states that legal practices and professional practices are becoming some how intertwined with each other and confusing, so, the provider, patient relationship is deteriorating and the priority of the one in need is