[Quality characteristics concerning pain therapy].

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports "Crossing the Quality Chasm proposed 7 aims for high-quality healthcare: effective, safe, timely, efficient, equitable, patient-centred, and emphasized care coordination. The quality of pain treatment can also be shown by structure quality, process quality, and outcome quality. The present investigation shows methods of the qualitative capture of pain therapy.

Chronic pain in primary care. German figures from 1991 and 2006.

Background: Until now only limited research has been done on the prevalence of chronic pain in primary care. The aim of this investigation was to study the health care utilisation of patients suffering from pain. How many patients visit an outpatient clinic because of the symptom of pain? These data were compared with data from a similar study in 1991, to investigate whether improvements had been achieved.

[Opioids: modern concepts of pain management].

In cancer pain management the application of opioids is established and follows the WHO guidelines. In the management of chronic non-cancer pain opioids are used increasingly but the effectiveness is less. Several central and gastrointestinal side effects can limit the outcome.