Developing a physicians' palliative care pain hotline in Maryland.
Physicians have had relatively little formal training in pain management and palliative care. For this reason, a telephone consultation service was offered, the physicians' palliative care pain hotline, that would allow physicians to call a toll-free number and, within 15 minutes, speak to a board-certified physician in hospice and palliative medicine. To our knowledge, this is the first program of its kind. This article describes the process involved in creating such a pain hotline and reports on some data collected on its use in the first 10 months. This report should help others who have an interest in establishing a similar program.
Gloth
F M
FM
Division of Geriatrics, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Schwartz
J
J
D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015277:Hotlines / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008396:Maryland; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires