Louisiana Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Board Certified Interventional Pain Physicians -- Ensuring Patient Safety

Filed in archive Consumer Alert , Pain Management on April 22, 2009

Here is new information regarding the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) and their recent victory in Louisiana preventing non-physicians from performing interventional pain techniques.

From the press release I have received:

ASIPP and the Louisiana Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (LSIPP) believe interventional pain management procedures are considered a practice of medicine and should be performed by trained, board certified physicians. Subsequently ASIPP and LSIPP became principal supporters in the case along with the help of the American Medical Association and the American Society of Anesthesiology.

"The utmost concern of these organizations was the safety of patients. When these procedures were being performed by individuals with little or no formal training, patients were unknowingly in potential danger," said Dr. J. Michael Burdine of the Spine Diagnostics Center of Baton Rouge. "Being the first victory of this kind, the case has set a precedent and laid down the groundwork for other states. It will now be easier for others to take action and keep the practice of medicine in the hands of those who have been properly skilled, trained, and licensed to do so. "

Until now, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and other non-physicians were able to administer these types of procedures without being properly trained or board certified. However, these practices such as epidural injections or spinal facet injections are very difficult and require a trained medical physician.

As the first state to achieve such a victory, Louisiana has now set a precedent for the rest of the country in hopes of ensuring the best possible patient safety and care when it comes to pain management procedures.

Well we hope, other States follow suit.

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