Should pain-care CME be mandatory?

The writer of this editorial thinks so, and makes a pretty good case for it, I think. As she points out, "In 2003, members of the House and Senate introduced bills to improve pain management, but neither of these bills calls for mandatory education of health care professionals on pain management."

A solution to this health care crisis is to have federal rules requiring all health care providers, including physicians and nurses, to receive continuing medical education units specifically on pain management and end-of-life care...In my experience, change won't occur unless education is required of health care providers. Contacting our state and federal legislators and asking them to support the addition of mandatory education within these bills to improve pain management may help.