Dr. Connie Chen This is Me

Education

 Web References

1. 1. What Are Effects of 2001 JCAHO Regulations Thus Far?

   www.anesthesiologynews.com/cgi - [Cached]

   Published on: 5/26/2001   Last Visited: 12/23/2001

   The study was headed by T.J. Gan, MB, FRCA, Associate Professor, Director of Clinical Research, Medical Director, Perianesthesia Care at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. Co-authors were Jeffrey L. Apfelbaum, MD, Professor and Vice Chairman of Clinical Affairs, Director of Outpatient Surgery at the University of Chicago Hospitals, and Connie Chen, PharmD, Manager, Global Outcomes Research at Pharmacia in Skokie, Ill.
   ...
   Dr. Chen provided details of the study in a poster presentation at the 2000 annual scientific meeting of the American Pain Society.
   
   "It is a concern that so many clinicians were unfamiliar with or only somewhat familiar with the new standards," Dr. Chen told Anesthesiology News. "Implementing the new standards is not something that you can do overnight; you need to have plans in place. Fortunately, people are starting to take notice and trying to follow the guidelines."
   
   The survey, conducted in March 2000, included a random sample of 225 hospital officials. Telephone interviews were conducted with directors of pain management programs or clinicians involved with pain management; 75% specialized in anesthesiology or pain management.
   
   ...
   "Only 66% [147] of the clinicians were aware of revisions to the JCAHO standards for pain management," Dr. Chen said. "Of the respondents who were aware of the new standards, lthe majority were either very or somewhat familar with them".
   
   Hospitals with fewer than 200 beds were the least likely to be influenced. The vast majority of hospital officials expect that the standards will, however, have some influence in future, Dr. Chen reported.
   
   Clinicians aware of the revisions (147) were asked additional questions regarding the impact of the revisions. Of these, 48% said that their institutions would be forming special committees to address the new standards, while 35% reported that these committees were already in place.
   
   Of the clinicians who are aware of the revisions, 61% indicated that as a result of the new standards, they are revising existing institutional pain management guidelines or developing new ones; 24% said that guidelines have recently been revised or do not require revision.
   
   Regarding education, 63% of clinicians aware of the revisions noted that their hospitals were implementing pain education programs for health professionals, whereas 15% said that such programs are already in place; 14% had no plans for implementing these programs.
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   Of this same group of 150 guideline-aware clinicians, Dr. Chen noted that 57% "are developing additional or new family pain management education programs and patient teaching materials; 18% said that such programs and teaching materials are already in existence, and 14% said that no programs are being developed." In addition, 27% of institutions "have made technology or software investment to help with documentation or assessment of pain," she said.
   
   The study was supported by Pharmacia & Upjohn.
   
   -Linda Pembrook
   
   Based on a poster presentation at the 2000 annual scientific meting of the American Pain Society and an interview with Connie Chen, MD.
   
   This article is derived from the McMahon Archives. This information may be time sensitive and was archived on 2/14/2001
   
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