John Loeser, MD, on the ‘Disaster’ of Pain Education
http://www.hcplive.com/hcplive-tv/John-Loeser-MD-on-the-Disaster-of-Pain-Education
From the article:
“Education for pain medicine is nothing short of a disaster in American medical schools today,” says John Loeser, MD, at the American Pain Society 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting, held April 30, 2014, to May 3, 2014, in Tampa, FL.
He explains this is because education is taught by organ system, yet very little is taught about pain. Therefore, he extrapolates, the opioid prescription problem in America is also rampant.
“You end up with physicians who are skilled in a discipline area who have little understanding of pain patients,” Loeser continues. “And, as we’ve seen in the disaster we now have in our country with opioid prescription, even less understanding of the role of opiates in the management of pain.”
Filed under: General Problems
Sas to say.. But many over doses were caused by doctors, especially in Washington state is where this particular problem started. In WA state, Medicaid only approved certain pain meds because these.. were so cheap, so they only covered Methadone and Morphine for chronic pain, so opiate naïve patients were given this methadone and because it takes up to 72 hours to really start working? They most likely took more thinking it wasn’t working for the pain, then by 3 days later they were dropping like flies. If only all those doctors had more education, this my not have happened. BUT,Because of that all happening.. It has given methadone a BAD name. Such a shame! So I feel pain patients are left suffering because many doctors just don’t know how to prescribe them properly for opiate naïve patients.
Now.. the over dose problem is being blamed mainly on chronic pain patients.
MORE CME is needed and ALL new in med school need a special class just for this since so many folks have pain these days.
Thank you Steve for all you do!
As a compounding pharmacist, one of my first questions is always about the nature/etiology of the pain. For some reasons many healthcare professionals completely fail to recognize different kind of pains.
I think he’s spot on. There is a real disconnect and from the patients standpoint much frustration at the lack of understanding. Hopefully, awareness of this shortfall in medicine will lead to change and more studies in chronic pain.