Frontline Practitioners Physicians, nursing professionals, physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists, and podiatrists who treat patients in pain.

Overview

PAINWeek 2007 is a national conference during Pain Awareness Month in September providing relevant, real-world education for the frontline practitioner who treats patients in pain. The conference will convene at the Red Rock Casino, Resort, and Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 6-9, 2007.

Vision

The goal of PAINWeek is to be a national multi-organization conference for frontline practitioners treating pain—physicians, physician assistants, nursing professionals, and health-system pharmacists. The PAINWeek general conference is the “anchor event” having a mix of plenary and breakout sessions during each of the 4 days.

Mission

The mission of PAINWeek is to provide a comprehensive and open national forum for primary care practitioners, pain professionals, and pain societies to share their experience, knowledge, and resources with frontline clinicians providing pain management services. PAINWeek is an opportunity for both professional and patient-focused organizations to demonstrate their collective commitment to linking collaborative education with better healthcare outcomes.

PAINWeek will provide practical clinical education on pain mechanisms, best treatment options, co-morbidities of pain, and frontiers in research with direct clinical implications, along with the opportunity to develop effective strategies for the problems faced daily by clinicians managing patients living with pain.

Purpose Statement

Chronic pain is on the rise. US employees alone report an increase of chronic pain by nearly 40% since 1996. The purpose of this activity is to provide timely and relevant education and tools for the proper diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic pain for frontline clinicians who will be treating these new patients.

Educational Need

“Pain can be one of the most difficult medical symptoms to treat, and when it becomes chronic, treatment can be complicated and complex. Despite advances in the field of pain management, many frontline practitioners can enhance their practice with new information to more effectively manage the pain experienced by their patients.”

“There is no doubt that the fear of regulatory actions against physicians who appropriately use opioid analgesics exists and interferes with treatment decisions, impeding adequate pain control for their patients.”