Joint Commission releases revised pain management standards

The Joint Commission has released prepublication standards on new and updated pain assessment and management requirements for hospitals. The updates incorporate the most contemporary guidelines and best practices. The accreditor said it used the revision to address disparities between its standards and what the literature recommended. Some of the changes include:

•    Enabling clinician access to prescription drug monitoring program databases
•    Performance improvement activities focusing on pain assessment and management to increase the safety and quality for patients
•    Identifying the leader or leadership team responsible for pain management and safe opioid prescribing
•    Involving patients in developing their treatment plans and setting realistic expectations and measurable goals
•    Identifying and monitoring high-risk patients as a way to promote safe opioid use

The medical staff is also expected to participate in establishing protocols and quality metrics and reviewing performance improvement data for safe opioid prescribing, pain assessment, and management.

Last year, The Joint Commission issued a press release on its pain management standards, stating that they didn’t promote unsafe opioid prescribing.