OBJECTIVES: Many emergency departments (EDs) have incorporated pain assessment scales in the medical record to improve compliance with the requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The authors conducted a pre-post trial investigating the effects of introducing a templated chart on the documentation of pain assessments and the provision of analgesia to ED patients. METHODS: A total of 2,379 charts were reviewed for inclusion based on the presence of a chief complaint related to trauma or nontraumatic pain, with 1,242 charts included in the analysis. RESULTS: Baseline demographic characteristics, mechanism of injury, location of injury, and initial pain severity were similar in the two groups. The proportion of patients with documentation of pain assessment increased from 41% to 57% (p