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Health Sciences North received $750,000 on Dec. 1 to support the implementation of an Integrated Chronic Pain Management Program.
Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault was on hand to share the funding announcement with medical and clinical team members who will lead the recruitment of the multi-disciplinary team and develop the service model.
HSN has had an Acute Pain Program in place for 15 years that serves the needs of hospital in-patients, predominantly those who have had surgery or suffered from traumatic injury.
The hospital also runs an Interventional Chronic Pain Service that treats a small number of patients with various pain disorders by using more invasive techniques, such as nerve blocks and trigger point injections. These interventions require the involvement of chronic pain specialists.
What is not currently in place is an interdisciplinary team and clinic space to complement the existing pain service, and address the many psychosocial and emotional aspects of chronic pain encountered in these complex patients. The funding will help expand the range of therapies offered, going beyond providing medication and injections to improve daily function and management of pain.
The clinic will act on a referral basis, where patients will spend about six weeks receiving outpatient care they need to deal with their chronic pain. Patients will be assessed by the multidisciplinary team, and a care pathway would then be implemented, with a goal to re-engage the patient back into the primary care system.
"We've been advocating for this type of service here for about 10 years now," said HSN vice-president of patient services David McNeil. "It's anticipated patients will be in the program for about six weeks before they are discharged back into the care of their primary care physician, and we're working with our primary care physicians to ensure they are able to continue managing their chronic pain.
The program will be staffed by physicians, registered nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, recreation therapists, psychologists and social workers, who utilize a cognitive-behavioural approach to assist participants in realizing personal treatment goals, he said.
Chronic pain is pain that persists beyond the expected duration of normal healing, and can result in individual and family dysfunction, loss of employment, and an increased risk of depression, mental illness and substance abuse.
Dr. David Boyle, anaesthetist/critical care physician and medical director of HSN’s surgical program, said they are still getting down to the details about what the program is going to look like, but the first year will be to develop it locally within HSN's immediate catchment area.
"Then we will link it to all of Northern Ontario so all patients in the North have access to this care," Boyle said.
In addition to enhancing patient outcomes, the program will offer rotations for medical learners interested in enhancing their pain management skills. This program also provides growing opportunities for research related to chronic pain management.
