Pain management specialists are increasingly calling on primary care physicians to assist in treating patients with pain, according to a Family Practice News report. Data shows that chronic pain affects 65 million patients in the US, but there are only 6,000 pain specialists to treat them.
"The next major advancement in pain medicine will be in the training and expertise of the primary care provider," said Bill McCarberg, MD, at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.
Pain specialists will need to help primary care physicians improve their skills and provide consultations on pain patients in order to build expertise, he said, adding that specialists can help to facilitate this process by teaching primary care physicians about what can be done in the primary care office the next time a pain patient comes in.
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"The next major advancement in pain medicine will be in the training and expertise of the primary care provider," said Bill McCarberg, MD, at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.
Pain specialists will need to help primary care physicians improve their skills and provide consultations on pain patients in order to build expertise, he said, adding that specialists can help to facilitate this process by teaching primary care physicians about what can be done in the primary care office the next time a pain patient comes in.
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