Georgia shows greatest improvement in patient pain policies

Georgia showed the largest improvement in the United States in a national study evaluating state policies to improve pain management and patient care, the American Cancer Society reported. Researchers with the University of Wisconsin's Pain & Policy Studies Group analyzed whether state pain policies and regulations enhanced or impeded pain management. The study said only five states received a grade of "A" for enabling healthcare professionals to effectively alleviate the suffering of their patients, without encountering barriers in legislation or regulation. Georgia's grade jumped from a D+ to a B.