Improving the pain management standard of care in a community hospital

The purpose of this article is to outline the development, implementation, and progress of one community hospital in improving the pain management standards of care and to describe why collaboration within the community and with a nationally recognized research facility, such as the City of Hope in California, is beneficial for the educational needs of a community-based hospital and for a framework-improvement model of pain management.

Most patients with cancer receive care in community facilities. It is essential that optimal pain relief be provided to these patients. A model used by Mercy Health Center in Oklahoma demonstrates how community facilities can tap into national resources. The adaptation of research and educational information that was made available by the City of Hope National Medical Center has allowed multiple strategies to be implemented to target pain management education and clinical practice effectively to meet the American Pain Society quality improvement standards. Ongoing data collection and monitoring of pain management outcomes can provide direction and support for improved pain management patient satisfaction and other pain management outcomes. With continuous quality improvement monitoring, education, and administrative support, a pain management patient "safety net" can been developed to improve the standard of care for all patients within the organization.

Effective pain management according to accepted national clinical standards can be implemented and improved on by adapting national resources to guide multidisciplinary strategic planning.