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Improving analgesic prescribing in a general teaching hospital
R McQuillan1, I Finlay, C Branch
1Palliative Medicine, Holme Tower Marie Curie Centre, Penarth, South Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom.
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
|March 1, 1996
Summary
A palliative care service improved pain management for cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients. The service enhanced the use of appropriate opioids, leading to better symptom control and analgesic prescribing.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- Oncology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Poorly controlled pain was prevalent in cancer and HIV patients at a teaching hospital.
- Inappropriate analgesia was frequently prescribed, indicating a need for improved pain management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a palliative care service to enhance symptom control for patients with cancer and HIV.
- To provide education to healthcare staff to improve the management of patient pain.
- To evaluate the impact of the palliative care service on analgesic prescribing practices.
Main Methods:
- Development of educational materials and didactic teaching sessions.
- One-to-one education through case discussions for staff.
- A repeat survey to assess changes in analgesic prescribing patterns post-intervention.
Main Results:
- Increased utilization of appropriate opioids like morphine and diamorphine.
- Decreased use of less suitable analgesics such as buprenorphine and papaveretum for chronic cancer pain.
- Improved overall analgesic prescribing practices, attributed to service acceptability and rapid expert consultation.
Conclusions:
- The implementation of a palliative care service significantly improved pain management in cancer and HIV patients.
- Targeted education and accessible expert opinion are crucial for optimizing analgesic prescribing.
- Palliative care services are effective in addressing inadequacies in pain and symptom management within hospital settings.