Opioids for pain: risk management

The treatment of our patients' pain has become a medical-legal minefield. We are getting sued for over-prescribing pain medications as well as for under-prescribing. Furthermore, the regulatory agencies are watching over our shoulders, ever vigilant for improper or fraudulent prescribing. Physicians must treat their patients' pain, but this should be done in combination with thorough assessments, patient education, informed consents, complete documentation, use of consultants, carefully managed risk of addiction, and back-up emergency call systems. These preventive measures can help reduce the practitioner's risk of suffering a medical-legal action.