PRINTER'S NO. 4045
No. 822 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY MANN, BAKER, BELFANTI, BENNINGTON, BEYER, BRENNAN,
COHEN, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GINGRICH,
GOODMAN, JAMES, KULA, MURT, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN, PALLONE, ROCK,
SCAVELLO, SHIMKUS, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, J. TAYLOR, THOMAS,
VULAKOVICH AND YOUNGBLOOD, JUNE 25, 2008
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
JUNE 25, 2008
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to create a
2 chronic pain task force and advisory committee to promote
3 professional and public education and awareness and to
4 improve the quality of care for chronic pain patients.
5 WHEREAS, Chronic pain is a significant health problem
6 manifesting itself in various disorders and diseases including,
7 but not limited to, migraines, low back pain, temporomandibular
8 joint pain, peripheral neuropathies, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid
9 arthritis; and
10 WHEREAS, The average chronic pain patient can suffer for
11 several years prior to obtaining a correct diagnosis, resulting
12 in a worsened condition that is more debilitating and more
13 difficult and expensive to treat; and
14 WHEREAS, Chronic pain patients are often misunderstood by
15 family members, employers and physicians as malingerers,
16 depressives and hypochondriacs due to inadequate knowledge of
17 chronic pain; and
1 WHEREAS, Several conditions may be mistakenly thought of by
2 some people as a mental health disorder when they are actually
3 pain conditions as defined by the American College of
4 Rheumatology and should be treated as such; and
5 WHEREAS, Chronic pain patients can function normally for
6 short periods of time, but quickly experience debilitating pain
7 and fatigue; and
8 WHEREAS, Evidence indicates that the incidence of chronic
9 pain may be increasing at a rapid rate; therefore be it
10 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
11 direct the Joint State Government Commission to create a chronic
12 pain task force consisting of two members appointed by the
13 President pro tempore of the Senate, two members appointed by
14 the Minority Leader of the Senate, two members appointed by the
15 Speaker of the House of Representatives and two members
16 appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
17 Representatives; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the task force create an advisory committee
19 consisting of 16 members who are individuals with knowledge and
20 expertise regarding chronic pain research, prevention,
21 educational programs and consumer needs, to guide program
22 development; and be it further
23 RESOLVED, That the committee shall be composed of one
24 representative from and designated by the Department of Health,
25 the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, the
26 Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, the
27 Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians, the Pennsylvania
28 Coalition of Nurse Practitioners, the Pennsylvania Society of
29 Physician Assistants, the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association,
30 the Pennsylvania Cancer Pain Initiative, the National
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1 Association for Home Care and Hospice, Alliance for Academic
2 Internal Medicine, the American Pain Society, the Pennsylvania
3 Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc., the Arthritis Foundation and
4 one member to represent the rehabilitation industry designated
5 by the Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association, the
6 Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association and the
7 Pennsylvania Association of Rehabilitation Facilities; and be it
8 further
9 RESOLVED, That in addition, two members of the committee
10 shall be chosen by the coordinated designation of the
11 biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries; and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That four members at large shall be designated by
13 the task force upon the recommendation of the advisory committee
14 from among the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians, the
15 Institute of Healthy Communities and the Public Relations
16 Society of America, Central Pennsylvania Chapter; and be it
17 further
18 RESOLVED, That the task force study the feasibility of
19 developing and implementing a comprehensive Statewide public
20 education program on chronic pain to:
21 (1) promote public awareness regarding chronic pain;
22 (2) promote understanding of the importance of early
23 diagnosis and proper treatment and management;
24 (3) improve the delivery of appropriate information,
25 programs, services and access to the most effective
26 treatments for chronic pain; and
27 (4) encourage research into the nature, cause and
28 treatment of chronic pain;
29 and be it further
30 RESOLVED, That the task force, in accomplishing its missions,
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1 take into account guidelines that have been promulgated by
2 nationally recognized organizations that deal with chronic pain;
3 and be it further
4 RESOLVED, That the task force and advisory committee
5 recommend an appropriate means of disseminating information to
6 the professional community and the general public; and be it
7 further
8 RESOLVED, That the task force and advisory committee
9 recommend sources of funds to carry out its recommendations; and
10 be it further
11 RESOLVED, That the task force report its findings directly to
12 the General Assembly no later than two years after the adoption
13 of this resolution.
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