• ED Manag. 2011 Aug 1; 23 (8): 89-92.

AbstractPatients who visit the ED frequently to obtain treatment for chronic pain can be frustrating and difficult to manage, but some EDs are making progress with this group by linking these patients to resources and establishing a firm policy on when narcotics will be prescribed. Experts say that while strict "no opioids" policies rarely work well, some patients can be helped when given access to more comprehensive treatment approaches. The ED at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis has developed a multidisciplinary program that includes referrals to a primary care provider (PCP), as well as a chemical dependency specialist. All providers have access to care-management notes on the patient through the health system's electronic medical record. Patients who are non-complaint with the program risk losing access to narcotic medications when they visit the ED. The ED at Dosher Memorial Hospital in Southport, NC, has developed a policy that encourages all patients with chronic pain to seek treatment from a PCP. The hospital will help to link patients with a PCP and other resources in the region. The approach has curbed the incidence of drug-seeking behavior and helped to make the treatment of chronic pain uniform across all ED providers. Since the prevalence of pain is so high among patients in the ED, many emergency physicians are seeking added training in the treatment of pain.

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