In a much earlier paper of mine in early 2010 (Comprehensive Chronic Pain Care: The pioneers, the movers and the ones left behind!), I looked at Canadian jurisdictions and provinces that have “done something” about chronic pain (you can obtain this paper through the CARP Advocacy archives). Ontario is NOT one of those provinces. My organization ACTION Ontario, has been driving the message to patients, administrators, policy makers, physicians, other health care providers, politicians and the industry, that we must look at chronic pain from a “whole person” point of view in ways that can prevent, treat early and treat appropriately pain. On November 9, ACTION Ontario will conduct a pain forum open to the public at the MARS Auditorium in downtown Toronto (for information log into www.actionontario.ca). The theme of the forum is “Patient Input for System Change”. Please join your voice with ours, so that we can keep bringing the message home that pain is a huge problem and we need comprehensive strategies to address it.

Angela Mailis Gagnon, MD, MSc, FRCPC(PhysMed)
Director, Comprehensive Pain Program,
Senior Investigator, Krembil Neuroscience Centre
Toronto Western Hospital,
www.drangelamailis.com
Chair ACTION Ontario www.actionontario.ca

Keywords: pain, healthcare