The First National Pain Medicine Summit—Final Summary Report

Pain is ubiquitous. At some point in time it affects everyone. For many millions pain becomes chronic, a scourge that impacts every facet of life-work, hobbies, family relations, social fabric, finances, happiness, mood, and even the very essence of identity. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), pain is one of our most important national public health problems, a silent epidemic. In 1998, NIH reported that the annual amount spent on health care, compensation, and litigation related to pain had reached one hundred billion dollars ($100,000,000,000). Considering that health care costs have doubled since then, it is not unreasonable to assume that the costs related to pain care have doubled as well. Millions of patients suffer needlessly with acute pain, with cancer pain, and with chronic pain. The ineffective management of pain results in an escalating cascade of health care issues. Acute pain that is not treated adequately and promptly results in persistent pain that eventually causes irreversible changes in the nervous system. This translates into progressive bio-psycho-social epiphenomena resulting in further pain and disability. It creates a vicious cycle transforming a functional human being into an invalid who becomes a burden to family, to society, and to oneself. In the face of adequate medical science, adequate technical skills, and adequate resources the reality of delayed and inadequate pain care is paradoxical. This dilemma deserves close scrutiny and effective remediation. The American Medical Association (AMA), long dedicated to the need to improve pain care in this country, has been faced with this reality. It was from this vision that the idea of holding a Pain Medicine Summit was conceived. Resolution 321 (A-08) set in motion a process that would bring together a diverse group of stakeholders for the purpose of discussing the present and future status of pain care; a process that culminated in a broad-based coalition of physicians and organizations dedicated to improving pain care, the first National Pain Medicine Summit. The process began with the adoption of Resolution 321 (A-08) at an AMA Annual House of Delegates meeting in June 2008. Resolution 321 (A-08) states, in part, that "...the AMA encourages relevant specialties to collaborate in studying: 1) the scope and practice and body of knowledge encompassed by the field of Pain Medicine; 2) the adequacy of undergraduate, graduate, and post graduate education in the principles and practices of the field of Pain Medicine, considering the current and anticipated medical need for the delivery of quality pain care; and 3) appropriate training and credentialing criteria for this multi-disciplinary field of medical practice." The next step was delegating the responsibility for implementing Resolution 321 (A-08) to the Pain and Palliative Medicine Specialty Section Council (PPMSSC). The PPMSSC, under the direction of its chairman, Philipp M. Lippe, MD, FACS, assumed responsibility in November 2008 for identifying a process that would achieve the goals established by Resolution 321 (A-08). The PPMSSC in turn established an Advisory Committee, charged with strategic planning, and an Implementation Committee, charged with tactical operations. The two groups began work immediately. The process included three distinct phases centered on a Pain Medicine Summit. Phase One involved a modified Delphi process identifying the five most pressing and relevant themes in pain care. Phase Two consisted of the Pain Medicine Summit itself, including a gathering of representatives from across the pain care spectrum to address the previously identified five most pressing themes. Phase Three was the preparation of this report, which describes the conclusions drawn and recommendations developed by the attendees at the Pain Medicine Summit. Based on a recommendation from the Advisory Committee, the PPMSSC decided to retain the services of a consulting firm to help the PPMSSC implement the Pain Medicine Summit process. In August 2009, PPMSSC selected Grey Matters, a New York-based advisory firm. The PPMSSC also appointed a Steering Committee to assist Grey Matters and to coordinate all activities. The Committee consisted of Charles Brock, MD; Ronald Crossno, MD; Jose David, MD; Michel Dubois, MD; Albert Ray, MD; and Philipp M. Lippe, MD, FACS (chair). The consulting firm, Grey Matters, proposed a multi-phasic process in order to facilitate the implementation of the Pain Medicine Summit and to ensure a coordinated, efficient, and productive outcome. This process consisting of three phases-pre-summit, summit, and post-summit-is described in detail in the following section. All aspects of the project were closely coordinated and supervised by the Steering Committee, which included the selection of the team leaders of the five Workgroups, based on specific criteria. The Pain Medicine Summit, adhering to the dictates of Resolution 321 (A-08), explored the body of knowledge and the scope of practice of Pain Medicine; the education and training in medical school, graduate, and postgraduate programs; and the credentialing and certification processes in the field of Pain Medicine. It addressed the barriers hampering delivery of high quality pain care. It recognized the need for clarification and consensus in many areas. Several points of consensus emerged: The continuum of medical education in the field of Pain Medicine is inadequate and fragmented. It needs to be fortified in scope, content, and duration. Credentialing and certification processes in Pain Medicine are variable, diverse, and deficient in many instances. Deficiencies in these areas lead to suboptimal and fragmented pain care having a negative impact on direct patient care and public health. Effective and prompt remediation is desirable and essential to achieving the goal of high quality pain care. Barriers exist inhibiting or retarding progress toward the common good. There are several viable avenues to achieving our stated goal, "excellence in the delivery of high quality, cost-effective pain care to the patients we serve," including the development of Pain Medicine as a distinct specialty with ACGME accredited residency programs and ABMS certification. The Pain Medicine Summit concluded with a number of recommendations, including the following: That the pain community remains engaged in addressing the issues raised and in mitigating the barriers. That the recommendations be referred to the AMA and the PPMSSC for support and implementation. That another national Pain Medicine Summit with enhanced participation be convened. That consideration be given to convening an International Pain Summit in conjunction with the IASP World Congress in Montreal. That the final report of the Pain Medicine Summit be widely disseminated.

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