By Rosson                                             S.B. No. 1454
       74R7473 JMM-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to educational programs for medical students and
    1-3  physicians regarding pain management and treatment.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 6, Title 71, Revised Statutes, is amended
    1-6  by adding Article 4495d to read as follows:
    1-7        Art. 4495d.  PAIN TREATMENT CONTINUING EDUCATION.  (a)  A
    1-8  physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b,
    1-9  Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) who submits an application for
   1-10  renewal of a license that designates direct patient care must
   1-11  complete pain treatment course work approved by the Texas State
   1-12  Board of Medical Examiners as continuing medical education under
   1-13  Section 3.025(a)(2), Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b, Vernon's
   1-14  Texas Civil Statutes).  The physician shall complete the number of
   1-15  hours of course work required by the board over a period designated
   1-16  by the board, not to exceed a three-year period.
   1-17        (b)  Pain treatment continuing education course work may be
   1-18  provided by an accredited medical school, a hospital or health care
   1-19  facility, or a professional society or association for physicians.
   1-20  The course work must include instruction in:
   1-21              (1)  pain assessment;
   1-22              (2)  pharmacology; and
   1-23              (3)  treatment modality options and outcomes.
   1-24        SECTION 2.  Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
    2-1  amended by adding Section 51.307 to read as follows:
    2-2        Sec. 51.307.  PAIN TREATMENT MEDICAL EDUCATION COURSE WORK.
    2-3  (a)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall require
    2-4  the development of, and shall approve, pain treatment medical
    2-5  education course work to be offered to all students enrolled in
    2-6  medical schools under the jurisdiction of the coordinating board.
    2-7        (b)  Pain treatment medical education course work approved by
    2-8  the coordinating board shall be offered at all medical schools in
    2-9  the state under the jurisdiction of the coordinating board.
   2-10        (c)  Pain treatment medical education course work approved
   2-11  under this section shall include instruction in:
   2-12              (1)  pain assessment in adults, children, and special
   2-13  populations, including elderly and impaired individuals;
   2-14              (2)  pain anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, and
   2-15  pharmacology of opioid and nonopioid analgesic drugs, including
   2-16  pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics;
   2-17              (3)  the advantages and disadvantages of various
   2-18  methods of drug administration, side effects, treatment outcome,
   2-19  and the outcome of behavioral and other psychological therapy for
   2-20  pain;
   2-21              (4)  the psychological, social, economic, and emotional
   2-22  impact of malignant and nonmalignant acute and chronic pain on
   2-23  patients;
   2-24              (5)  indications for and outcomes of anesthetic and
   2-25  neurosurgical pain-relieving techniques, including nerve blocks and
   2-26  neuroaugmentative and neuroablative techniques;  and
   2-27              (6)  the outcome of treatment of pain emanating from a
    3-1  damaged nervous system and neuropathic pain.
    3-2        SECTION 3.  (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
    3-3        (b)  The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners shall adopt
    3-4  rules under this Act not later than December 1, 1995.
    3-5        (c)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
    3-6  require the development of and approve a pain treatment medical
    3-7  education course work program under this Act not later than March
    3-8  1, 1996, and medical schools under the jurisdiction of the
    3-9  coordinating board shall begin offering the course work as soon as
   3-10  possible after December 1, 1995, but not later than September 1,
   3-11  1996.
   3-12        (d)  A licensed physician subject to the requirements of this
   3-13  Act must complete the initial course work required by Article
   3-14  4495d, Revised Statutes, as added by this Act, not later than the
   3-15  second anniversary of the effective date of this Act.
   3-16        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   3-17  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   3-18  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   3-19  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-20  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.