STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1553-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.C.R. No. 49

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 49 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE OFFERING OF CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION ON PAIN MANAGEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge the offering of continuing medical education on pain management.

The Hawaii Medical Association and Death with Dignity Hawaii Coalition testified in support of this measure.

Your Committee finds that one third of the residents dying in Hawaii's nursing homes are in persistent yet treatable pain. There is a need to increase the quality and availability of pain management for Hawaii patients, and the continuing medical educating of physicians in pain management is a step in this direction.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 49 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair