Improving goal setting and goal attainment in patients with chronic noncancer pain.

Chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) is a major problem in health care today. Management of patients who have CNCP often poses a challenge for health care providers because their goals are nonspecific and as a group they are prone to frustration and depression. This article evaluates the characteristics of therapeutic goal setting, barriers to goal setting, and potential solutions to this problem. If the patients with CNCP can be assisted to set realistic goals, both patient care and its outcomes will improve.