Improve the Chronic Pain Policy in the District
Pain is the most common reason Americans access the healthcare system. Yet people in pain, especially cancer patients, often face significant barriers that can prevent proper assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of their pain.
The American Cancer Society recently funded a random-sample survey to assess the level of awareness District residents have about their right to treatment for pain and their barriers to obtaining treatment. In October 2008, the Society enjoined the DC Cancer Consortium, DC and Maryland Pain Initiatives to host a Pain Summit to provide clinicians a venue to address the state of chronic pain policies and medical services.
The Society will continue to facilitate the meetings held by the DC Pain Collaborative with advocates and clinicians in the healthcare community to improve the District's state pain policy grade by eliminating the impediments in the current pain regulation and seeking that adequate cancer pain drugs are provided to cancer patients through the city's safety-net health services.
dc Campaigns
Unless specifically noted otherwise, the Society, and not ACS CAN, is conducting the activities described on this page.
