[Acute pain therapy in the regional public hospital]

Pain therapy is an essential component of clinical care. Using the example of a regional hospital, the various possibilities of providing effective pain therapy are discussed. They range from consultations at which patients are given information about their forthcoming anaesthetic to the work done in the recovery room, the surgical departments, the intensive care unit, the delivery room and the emergency department. Taking centre stage among the proven therapies are bolus injections of opiates, continuous infusion of analgetics and pain therapy with patient-controlled pumps or spinal catheters. Proven methods of organising acute pain service are also discussed. The most decisive factor is the degree of patient satisfaction, which can be ensured by measures of quality control.