JCAHO: New Standards for the Assessment and Management of Pain.

From: Helen Dynda (olddad66@runestone.net)
Mon Oct 22 23:25:04 2001


[] Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Sets New Standards for the Assessment and Management of Pain.

http://www.pain.com/news/jcaho_standards_consumers.cfm

"These standards are putting the importance of pain management at center stage, ensuring that health care providers and professionals will take pain management in a serious way."

The Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is a voluntary organization which develops standards for hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, behavioral health facilities, outpatient clinics and health plans. JCAHO currently accredits approximately 19,500 health care organizations throughout the United States. Accreditation of health care organizations is accomplished through on-site surveys conducted by a team of JCAHO surveyors using standards for the provision of healthcare which have been developed by the Joint Commission.

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has developed new standards for the assessment and management of pain in hospitals and other health care settings. A key to these new standards is the emphasis of the patients' right to appropriate assessment and management of pain. These newly developed standards have been endorsed by the American Pain Society. The following press release highlights these new standards:

Joint Commission Focuses on Pain Management...August 3, 1999

Recognizing pain as a major, yet largely avoidable, public health problem, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has developed standards that create new expectations for the assessment and management of pain in accredited hospitals and other health care settings. These standards have been endorsed by the American Pain Society.

Hospitals, home care agencies, nursing homes, behavioral health facilities, outpatient clinics and health plans will be called upon to:

1.) recognize the right of patients to appropriate assessment and management of pain;

2.) assess the existence and, if so, the nature and intensity of pain in all patients;

3.) record the results of the assessment in a way that facilitates regular reassessment and follow-up;

4.) determine and assure staff competency in pain assessment and management, and address pain assessment and management in the orientation of all new staff;

5.) establish policies and procedures which support the appropriate prescription or ordering of effective pain medications;

6.) educate patients and their families about effective pain management, and;

7.) address patient needs for symptom management in the discharge planning process.

The new standards explicitly acknowledge that pain is a co-existing condition with a number of diseases and injuries, and requires explicit attention. For example, a patient with breast cancer should effectively be treated not only for the actual illness but also for any associated pain.

"Unrelieved pain has enormous physiological and psychological effects on patients. The Joint Commission believes the effective management of pain is a crucial component of good care," says Dennis S. O'Leary, M.D., president, Joint Commission. "Research clearly shows that unrelieved pain can slow recovery, create burdens for patients and their families, and increase costs to the health care system."

The new pain management standards - along with examples of compliance - are being included in 2000-2001 standards manuals for the affected Joint Commission accreditation programs. The standards will first be scored for compliance in 2001.

The Joint Commission earlier this year sent copies of the proposed pain management standards to accredited health care organizations, a variety of professional groups and associations, consumer groups, and purchasers. Overall, the proposed standards were well received, achieving an average approval rating of 92 percent.

"These standards are putting the importance of pain management at center stage, ensuring that health care providers and professionals will take pain management in a serious way," says Russ Portenoy, M.D., president, American Pain Society.

Beginning immediately, the Joint Commission will undertake a comprehensive effort to engage other key professional organizations in the promotion of effective pain assessment and management. This effort will include production of an educational video, presentations at national and regional conferences, and educational seminars for accredited organizations.

At mid-year 2000, the Joint Commission will assess the ability of accredited organizations to comply with the standards, and put in place a plan for full or phased implementation.

The introduction of these standards is the product of a two-year collaborative effort between the Joint Commission and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School. This effort was part of a project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to make pain assessment and management a priority in the nation's health care system.


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