President's Message

A Message from AAPM’s President

It gives me great pleasure to invite you to the AAPM’s 31st Annual Meeting to be held March 19–22, 2015, in National Harbor, Maryland. Chronic pain is an astounding societal problem. Tackling this issue is a moral imperative, one that directs the cultural transformation in how we care for people in chronic pain, educate our providers, as well as in how we prevent and research pain. To that end, there are several major initiatives that we have undertaken. One includes our efforts with the development of the National Pain Strategy whose overall objective is to develop a comprehensive population-level health strategy for pain prevention, treatment, management, and research. Additionally, AAPM is leading the collaboration efforts among nine primary care organizations to focus on pain education. AAPM is also expanding its coverage and leadership of pain medicine through the recognition that pain exists on a continuum from acute to chronic pain. We are also engaging our members through the range of training and practice. In particular, we are bringing in more trainees into the Academy as they represent the future of pain medicine. Finally, AAPM recognizes that pain is a “team sport.” Our recent changes to the bylaws have promoted a stronger involvement by nonphysician members who play a critical role in the team-based approach to caring for the person in pain. These initiatives set the stage as a forum for the proactive exchange of knowledge.

The practice of pain medicine is changing, and as the AAPM prepares for its upcoming annual meeting, we are uniquely positioned to provide you with the education and resources that put you at the forefront of pain medicine. This year’s programming will offer sessions covering the entire spectrum of pain assessment, management, prevention, and research.

This meeting promises to be an invigorating, educational, and innovative program. It will provide you with a breadth of information, outstanding educational sessions, expert faculty, and an unparalleled opportunity to network with colleagues. You will have access to the latest science in pain research and explore the legislative, regulatory, and pain management issues that affect your practice. The AAPM’s Annual Meeting will be the most important pain medicine meeting of the year. With the anticipated rollout of the National Pain Strategy, it is even more salient that our meeting will be held in our nation’s capital. Be sure to register early and visit www.painmed.org/annualmeeting for the latest up-to-date information. I look forward to seeing you in Maryland.

Sean Mackey, MD, PhD
President, American Academy of Pain Medicine
Palo Alto, California, USA

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