Profession
AMA offers online CME series on treating pain
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 26, 2004
The American Medical Association has released a 12-part online CME series on pain management aimed at primary care physicians. It includes such topics as the pathophysiology of pain, treating pediatric pain, end-of-life care options and the assessing and treating of pain in patients with substance abuse concerns.
The course was developed in accordance with the policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education and with an unrestricted education grant from Purdue Pharma, L.P.
Although it is reported that 45% of all Americans seek care for persistent pain at some point in their lives, the AMA Council on Scientific Affairs reported that many health care professionals have inadequate knowledge of basic pain-management principles and an "ungrounded concern" about regulatory oversight of pain treatment.
More information on the program is available online (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/01/26/prbf0126.htm.