New pain management standards for hospitals

The Missouri Orthopedic Institute, a branch of the University of Missouri Health System, has added chiropractic to its list of available services. The patients who visit the Institute are now eligible to receive chiropractic care in an integrated care setting.

Other hospitals around the country should also be making this transition, if they hadn’t already. Effective January 1, 2018, the Joint Commission* has revised its standards, requiring hospitals to discuss non-drug methods of pain management with their patients, and to include chiropractic in the list of services that the hospital offers. If the therapy that the patient prefers is not available at a facility, that hospital is required to help educate the patient on where this service (chiropractic, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, etc.) can be obtained.

The new standards give patients a valuable resource for better overall healthcare. If you or a loved one experience pain while hospitalized, be sure to ask what non-opioid pain relief methods are available.

* The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.