STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1274_______

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.C.R. No. 14
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Higher Education and Consumer Protection
and Commerce, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 14, H.D. 1,
entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING EFFECTIVE PAIN
     MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS BE REQUIRED IN ALL HEALTHCARE
     INSTITUTIONS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to:

     (1)  Require effective pain management programs in all
          healthcare institutions;

     (2)  Use the Agency for Healthcare Policy and Research
          (AHCPR) guidelines for the treatment of pain as a guide
          for all healthcare providers;

     (3)  Urge the Department of Health (DOH) to establish the
          right to skilled pain management in a "Patient's Bill
          of Rights" for all certified or licensed facilities;

     (4)  Encourage all medical, nursing, and other healthcare
          professional schools in the State to incorporate pain
          management courses into their curricula;

     (5)  Challenge professional organizations to formally adopt
          AHCPR standards and incorporate them in their peer
          review and continuing education programs; and

 
 
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     (6)  Request the Hawaii Medical Association and Hawaii
          Nurses' Association to evaluate pain management
          practices, including determining the effectiveness of
          having all physicians and nurses skilled in pain
          management for their patients.

     DOH, the Commission on Persons with Disabilities, the
University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing, the Hawaii
Medical Association, and the Hawaii Nurses' Association testified
in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Catholic Conference
testified in support of the intent of this measure.

     Your Committees find that effective pain management programs
should be required in all healthcare institutions.  Your
Committees also find that a "Patient's Bill of Rights"
establishing the right to skilled pain management should be
developed for and used as a guide by all certified or licensed
healthcare facilities.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Higher Education and Consumer Protection and
Commerce that are attached to this report, your Committees concur
with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 14, H.D. 1, and
recommend its adoption.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Higher Education
                                   and Consumer Protection and
                                   Commerce,

                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
RON MENOR, Chair                   DAVID MORIHARA, Chair