Pain management is the use of prescription medication to help patient’s deal with chronic pain. Chronic pain is very common in the United States, with more than 76 million people living with some form of chronic pain. Despite this, more than half of these people do not receive treatment for their pain. And those who do are always at the risk of negligent pain management.
Chronic pain often starts as the result of an injury. Even after the injury has healed, pain may persist. Pain that lasts for more than 3 months is considered chronic pain. It is thought that chronic pain, though it may initially be triggered by an injury, is the result of the deterioration of nerves due to aging.
Doctors frequently prescribe prescription pain medication for pain management. In the majority of cases, when taken as directed, this is a successful method of pain management. However, there are instances in which medical negligence in the administration of pain management can result an a serious injury or even death to the patient. Examples of negligent pain management include:
- Failing to perform required medical tests that would indicate the presence of risks or complications that could arise if the patient took pain medication.
- Failing to re-evaluate the patient so as to change medication or management regimens.
- Prescribing multiple, conflicting pain medications.
- Failing to examine the patient in-office/refilling prescriptions without in-person contact with the patient.
- Failing to monitor patients undergoing pain management.
Pain Management and Medical Malpractice
A recent wrongful death medical malpractice case demonstrates the potential for harm in improper pain management. A Utah man died after medications from multiple prescriptions metabolized and accumulated, causing drug toxicity which led to his death. The jury found Utah’s largest healthcare provider responsible for his death, according to MedicalMalpracticeLawyers.com. "The man was taking up to 33 pain killers, sedatives, and sleep medications per day for chronic pain that were prescribed to him by a local clinic and pharmacy owned by the healthcare network provider."