Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 2, February 2024
A. Physicians operating a pain management
program for specific syndromes...that is headache, low back pain, pain
associated with malignancies, or temporomandibular joint dysfunctions...are
expected to meet the standards set forth in this section or in fact be in
violation of the Medical Practice Act by exhibiting gross negligence or
ignorant malpractice.
B.
Definitions:
1. Chronic Pain Syndrome: Any
set of verbal and/or nonverbal behaviors that:
(1) involves the complaint of enduring
pain,
(2) differs significantly
from aperson's premorbid status,
(3) has not responded to previous appropriate
medical and/or surgical treatment, and
(4) interferes with a person's physical,
psychological and social and/or vocational functioning.
2. Chronic Pain Management Program provides
coordinated, goal-oriented, interdisciplinary team services to reduce pain,
improving functioning, and decrease the dependence on the health care system of
persons with chronic pain syndrome.
C. The following standards apply to both
inpatient and outpatient programs and the physician should conform to the same.
1. There should be medical supervision of
physician prescribed services.
2. A
licensee should obtain a history and conduct a physical examination prior to or
immediately following admission of a person to the Chronic Pain Management
Program.
3. At the time of
admission to the program, the patient and the physician should enter into a
written contract stating the following:
a. The
presenting problems of the person served.
b. The goals and expected benefits of
admission.
c. The initial estimated
time frame for goal accomplishment.
d. Services needed.
D. In order to provide a safe pain
program, the scope and intensity of medical services should relate to the
medical care needs of the person served. The treating physician of the patient
should be available for medical services. Services for the patient in a Chronic
Pain Management Program can be provided by a coordinated interdisciplinary team
of professionals other than physicians. The members of the core team, though
each may not serve every person should include:
a. A Physician.
b. A clinical psychologist or
psychiatrist.
c. An occupational
therapist.
d. A physical
therapist.
e. A rehabilitation
nurse.
E. A physician
managing a Chronic Pain Management Program to a patient should meet the
following criteria:
1. Three years experience
in the interdisciplinary management of persons with chronic pain.
2. Participation in active education on pain
management at a local or national level.
3. Board certification in a medical specialty
or completion of training sufficient to qualify for examinations by members of
the American Board of Medical Specialities.
4. Two years experience in the medical
direction of an interdisciplinary Chronic Pain Program or at least six (6)
months of pain fellowship in an interdisciplinary Chronic Pain Program.
The Physician must have completed and maintained at least one (15
of the following:
5.
Attendance at one (1) meeting per year of a regional and national pain
society.
6. Presentation of an
abstract to a regional national pain society.
7. Publication on a pain topic in a peer
review journal.
8. Membership in a
pain society at a regional or national level.
History: Adopted December 11, 1996.
