STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1798

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

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




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Education
and Technology, 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 measure is to urge effective pain
management programs to be required in all healthcare
institutions.

     This measure also specifies that:

     (1)  The Agency for Healthcare Policy and Research (AHCPR)
          guidelines for the treatment of pain be used as a guide
          for all healthcare providers;

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

     (3)  Pain management programs and guidelines be instituted
          in each certified or licensed facility;

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

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1798
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     (5)  Professional organizations be challenged to formally
          adopt AHCPR standards and incorporate them in their
          peer review and continuing education programs;

     (6)  The Hawaii Medical Association (HMA) and Hawaii Nurses'
          Association (HNA) evaluate the pain management
          component of pain management programs at each certified
          or licensed facility to determine the effectiveness of
          having all physicians and nurses to be skilled in pain
          management for their patients; and

     (7)  The HMA and HNA submit a preliminary report to the
          legislature for the 2000 Regular Session and a final
          report for the 2001 Regular Session on their
          evaluation.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
Commission on Persons with Disabilities, Hawaii Medical
Association, and Hawaii Nurses' Association.

     The intent of this measure is to alleviate pain and
suffering for the terminally ill at the last stages of their
life, in accordance with established guidelines for the treatment
of pain.  Your Committees believe that no one should suffer
unnecessarily and that the process of dying should be made as
bearable and as comfortable as possible.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Health and Human Services and Education and
Technology that is 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 Health and Human
                                   Services and Education and
                                   Technology,



_____________________________      ______________________________
DAVID Y. IGE, Chair                SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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