Comp Agency Approves Final Pain Treatment Guidelines

The Louisiana Office of Workers' Compensation has given final approval to chronic pain treatment guidelines, regulations that were months in the making and could help settle questions over conflicting court rulings. The guidelines, published this week in the Louisiana Register and on the state agency's website, could also impact a push for a drug formulary when the Legislature convenes two weeks from now. The 74-page guidelines emphasize patient education and interaction, physical therapy and a cautious approach to opioid prescribing. Louisiana has been cited in recent reports for dr...