Pain management and liability issues.

Pain management is evolving as critics clamor for improvement in patient care. Progress, however, is surprisingly slow, the result of continued uncertainty by providers as to appropriate opioid use, fear of criminal prosecution, and lack of institutional attention to pain management. Progress, however, is also evident, with accreditors paying more attention to pain management, the implementation of team approaches in some hospitals, and the recognition by physicians and other providers that pain, just as any clinical problem, needs to be treated in an effective manner.