At Wed, 7 Mar 2001, Hchalm@aol.com wrote:
>
>New standards from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
>Organizations (JCAHO) say patients have a right to feel no pain. These
>standards require that healthcare organizations tell you that you have a
>right to pain relief: Many people do not know they do. Healthcare
>organizations that do not provide effective pain relief can lose their
>accreditation. Hospitals and surgery centers now cannot discharge you if your
>pain is intolerable. What's more, they must check on you at home to make sure
>you are pain-free.
>
>The new JCAHO standards apply to all kinds of pain, including chronic pain
>and pains from unknown causes. Every time a healthcare professional takes
>your pulse, temperature, and blood pressure, you should be asked if you are
>in pain. If you are, the examiner should ask about what your pain feels like,
>and how it responds to treatments.
>
><A HREF="aol://4344:PP:55074689:14945508,aol://1223:45877/http://aolsvc.health.cbshealthwatch.aol.com/AOLMedscape/p/G_library/article.asp?RecID=150305&Channel=0">How to Describe Your Pain--and Get Relief</A>
>
><A HREF="aol://4344:PP:55074689:14945509,aol://1223:45877/http://aolsvc.health.cbshealthwatch.aol.com/AOLMedscape/p/G_library/article.asp?RecID=221906&Channel=0">Treating Pain With Narcotics</A>
>
>Source: <A HREF="aol://4344:PP:55074689:14945511,aol://1223:45877/aol://1223:45877/http://cbshealthwatch.health.aol.com/aolmedscape/p/gcommunity/ghome.asp?.">CBSHealthWatch</A>
>
>POSTED BY: HELEN CHALMERS
-- You will never never know.......if you don't give it a go :)