Small Town's Answer to the Opioid Crisis

Small Town's Answer to the Opioid Crisis an integrated approach to opioid addiction

The Pain Clinic sees an average of 100 chronic pain patients per month, with 90 percent of those patients addicted to their pain medication. These patients require medical management of their medication by Stacy Toye, PA-C.

Following a new patient's evaluation by the pain clinic's behavioral health specialists, Victoria Strohmeyer and Amy Goodwin, Dr. Brian Siegel, Pain Management Medical Director, reviews the charts and discusses the plan of care for each patient.

The behavioral health patient plan of care completed by Strohmeyer and Goodwin following their initial evaluation of the patient. This document provides the framework for a patient's course of treatment going forward, which can include physical therapy, acupuncture, yoga, and other forms of treatments listed to help the patient's pain level improve, which can lead to a reduction or elimination of opioids.

Physical therapy is one of the treatment options for pain management. Dry needling with electric stimulation, pictured here, is used to treat myofascial pain by inserting needles into a trigger point within the muscle.

This is the physical therapy treatment space giving patients a range of exercise and movement options to help improve their pain.

Acupuncture is another treatment option for pain management. Acupuncture can be performed with or without electric stimulation. Utilizing electric stimulation causes a similar myofascial release as dry needling.

This is the acupuncture treatment room where both acupuncturists can treat pain patients for their pain and any associated anxiety or depression resulting from the pain.

This is the workbook behavioral health will use as a part of the PAIN 101 class to be implemented in April, 2017. Participation in PAIN 101 may be mandatory for new patients before seeing Strohmeyer or Goodwin for evaluation, and Dr. Siegel for treatment or medical management.

Pain patients are now able to receive comprehensive pain management care which includes behavioral health counseling, physical therapy and acupuncture in one location, the Yampa Valley Medical Park.

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Credits:

Janinne Siegel

Small Town's Answer to the Opioid Crisis an integrated approach to opioid addiction

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