Program Title:
The Federal Regulatory Environment for Pain Management.
WI CCC Plan Related Chapter / Priority:
Chapter 5: Palliative Care / End of Life Issues
Priority A: Increase access to palliative care.
Program Description:
The Federal regulatory environment:
Recognizing that federal controlled substances regulations affect all Wisconsin prescribers and dispensers of pain medications for all patients, including cancer patients, PPSG provides through its website:
Access to the Code of Federal Regulations: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_06/21cfr1306_06.html, and
Monitoring of proposed changes to these regulations and expert commentary on these proposals when necessary. See for example http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/DEA/index.htm
Access to model policies that have been recommended for adoption by state medical boards see for example http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/domestic/model04.pdf
For More Information, Contact:
Name: David Joranson, MSSW
Email: joranson@wisc.edu
Program Title:
The Wisconsin Regulatory Environment.
WI CCC Plan Related Chapter / Priority:
Chapter 5: Palliative Care / End of Life Issues
Priority A: Increase access to palliative care.
Program Description:
Recognizing that all Wisconsin prescribers and dispensers of pain medications for all patients, including cancer patients, are governed by Wisconsin laws and regulations governing the use of controlled substances, and medical and pharmacy practice, PPSG provides through its website:
Access to the full text of all pain specific state policies that have been adopted by the legislature and state agencies. This policy data base allows patients and their caregivers to read what Wisconsin and bordering states' governmental policies say about the importance of pain management: http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/matrix.htm
For More Information, Contact:
Name: David Joranson, MSSW
Email: joranson@wisc.edu
Program Title:
Evaluations of Pain Policy.
WI CCC Plan Related Chapter / Priority:
Chapter 5: Palliative Care / End of Life Issues
Priority A: Increase access to palliative care.
Program Description:
Improving state policy and the regulatory environment for pain management is a necessary complement to the many ongoing state-level initiatives designed to improve pain management, including educating healthcare professionals about the appropriate use of pain medications and informing the general public about the availability of pain treatment options. Most importantly, improving state policy will remove barriers and enhance appropriate access to pain medications for people who experience severe cancer pain during the course of their illness and beyond. Restrictive health policy, or the perception that policy is restrictive, should not stand in the way of healthcare professionals who determine that their patients need a controlled medication for the relief of severe pain. PPSG recently released two policy reports that were created to improve the quality and consistency of U.S. federal and state policy affecting patients' pain care, including for patients experiencing pain due to cancer.
Achieving Balance in State Pain Policy: A Progress Report Card (Second Edition): http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/Achieving_Balance/PRC2006.pdf
Achieving Balance in Federal and State Pain Policy: A Guide to Evaluation (Third Edition):
http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/Achieving_Balance/EG2006.pdf
These reports provide a evidence-based framework for grading state pain policies, deciding which policies to remove and also recommending language that can be added to current policy which encourages pain relief. The reports contain the grade for Wisconsin and other states as well as a profile of how Wisconsin's pain policies were evaluated for the last six years. These are excellent tools that policymakers, healthcare professionals, and advocates can use to improve the pain policies in their state.
For More Information, Contact:
Name: David Joranson, MSSW
Email: joranson@wisc.edu
