title: Acute pain services: an academic asset.
abstract: Optimal care of surgical patients includes effective control of incisional pain. Attention is beginning to be focused on new in-hospital services created to improve the management of postoperative pain. Additional information regarding the organization and operation of this type of service, especially in the framework of a university hospital, is presented. The specific roles of an academic anesthesiologist involved in acute pain management are: to provide leadership by the development of effective services, to clarify through research optimal treatments, to train future practitioners in the management of acute pain, and to serve as a consultant for improving pain control for the whole medical community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Ready
mesh_terms: D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000639:trends; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics