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May 1998
Volume 62 |
Number 5
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| Pain Management
Versus Pain Medicine |
Philip S. Kim, M.D., Committee on Pain Management
F. Michael Ferrante, M.D., Chair, Task Force on Chronic Pain
The dictionary offers very different definitions for "management"
and "medicine." Management is defined as "the act or art
of managing; conducting or supervising of something (as a business).
A judicious use of means to accomplish an end." Medicine
is defined as "the science of treating disease; the healing art."
Which definition best describes what pain practitioners
do for their patients? Both terms explain our pain practice, but
pain medicine may more accurately describe our philosophy.
Pain medicine is a discipline that realizes the management of
pain is important but whose primary objective is the development
of a science that enables healing or cure. Disease processes have
led to many chronic pain conditions. As physicians, doctors of
medicine, we are focused on curing disease and relieving
suffering. Comprehensive treatment for pain and suffering may
revolve around management but may include the treatment of comorbidities
such as depression, anxiety, personality disorders or obesity.
More and more professionals and nonprofessionals are involved
in pain management. The new name of "pain medicine" may also help
to distinguish physicians from nonphysicians in the pain field.
The name change may allow "others" to view pain medicine as a
subspecialty that requires additional training, leading to a more
consistent quality of care and continued emphasis on maintaining
professional standards.
A more credible field may lead to the development of departments
for the practice of pain medicine. More resources may then be
applied to the understanding of pain medicine and the ramification
of pain on the disease states. This may lead to justification
of having our own billing and procedural codes, grant funding
agencies and continued existence in the evolving medical marketplace.
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