Final Report Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force
Final Report on Pain Management Best Practices: Updates, Gaps, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations
The American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians wants to express their support and gratitude after the release of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force final report. The report is available at https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/pain/reports/index.html
The Task Force is a federal advisory committee that was established by the comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, to propose updates to best practices and issue recommendations to address gaps or inconsistencies for managing chronic and acute pain
The importance of this report lies in the fact that multiple stakeholders, including physicians, patient advocacy groups, and regulators, called for the individualized treatment of patients in pain. The committee also considered specific information regarding the Pain Management Best Practices, represented by numerous organizations, including American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, is headed by Vanila Singh, MD, from Stanford, the Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health and Human Services, an interventional pain physician herself.
Chronic pain affects almost 20% of the adult population with effects on all facets of life, including health care and resources. The Task Force’s report not only calls for individualized treatment like many other reports, but goes further and provides appropriate recommendations in a number of areas, including:
- Clinical best practices and guidelines,
- Approaches to chronic pain management,
- Above all, pain treatments, including medications, interventional procedures, behavioral health approaches, and complimentary and integrative approaches.
Dr. Manchikanti, Chairman of the Board and CEO of ASIPP, stated that, “These recommendations, based on extensive review of the evidence, improve the access to pain care and remove the stigma, providing patients and providers with appropriate education, training, risk assessment, and evaluation.”
ASIPP is a not-for-profit professional organization founded in 1998 now comprising over 4,500 interventional pain physicians and other practitioners who are dedicated to ensuring safe, appropriate and equal access to essential pain management services for patients across the country suffering with chronic and acute pain. There are approximately 8,500 appropriately trained and qualified physicians practicing interventional pain management in the United States. ASIPP is comprised of 50 affiliated state societies, and the Puerto Rico Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.
The insights shared by Dr. Manchikanti underscore the importance of not only advancing medical knowledge but also breaking down barriers that prevent patients from receiving effective pain management. Chronic pain remains a complex and often misunderstood condition, impacting millions of individuals who struggle daily to maintain quality of life. Traditional treatments may not always provide the relief needed, and stigma surrounding pain management options can further isolate those affected.
Organizations like ASIPP play a vital role in fostering a community of skilled practitioners dedicated to evidence-based approaches, ensuring patients have access to safe and effective interventions tailored to their unique needs. This comprehensive approach to education, risk assessment, and evaluation is key to transforming how chronic pain is addressed in clinical practice and beyond.
Building on this foundation, newer therapies are emerging that offer hope for those whose pain persists despite conventional measures. One such approach integrates the benefits of ketamine as part of a multidisciplinary healing journey. Avesta Ketamine Wellness provides innovative treatment options that tap into ketamine’s potential to modulate pain pathways and reset the nervous system’s response to chronic pain signals. By combining medical expertise with compassionate care, these treatments aim to alleviate suffering and restore function, allowing patients to reclaim a sense of normalcy and well-being.
Embracing such advancements alongside traditional pain management strategies broadens the horizon for patients, opening doors to more personalized, effective, and holistic care for chronic pain sufferers.