Houston VA Medical Center Takes the "Ouch" Out of Pain - Pain Awareness Week Nov. 5 through 9

Chronic pain is the type of pain that lingers for a long time and is hard to treat, says Dr. Bilal F. Shanti, chief of the Pain Section of the Anesthesiology Service at the Houston VA Medical Center, who treats veterans suffering from long term, severe pain.

"Today, there are cutting-edge pharmacological and technological ways to help with managing pain. We recognize that pain is a priority and that veterans have a right to good pain management. We can improve the quality of life for most suffers," he said.

The Houston VAMC is leading the way in pain management in a number of ways, including sponsoring Pain Awareness Week, Nov. 5 through 9. The first goal of this event is to heighten awareness regarding pain medicine, screening, assessment, and management. The second is to improve the pain medicine education of health care providers, patients, and their families.

Pain Awareness Week events will take place in the fourth floor auditorium at the Houston VAMC, located at 2002 Holcombe Blvd. The program includes nationally renowned pain management experts from different specialties. They will share their experiences, and participate in question and answer sessions.

The program for the week’s events is as follows:

Monday, Nov. 5

8 a.m.

"Welcome"

Dr. Thomas B. Horvath, chief of staff, Houston VA Medical Center

8:30 a.m.

"Pain Medicine Updates"

Dr. Bilal F. Shanti, chief of the Pain Section, Anesthesiology Service, Houston VAMC

10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

"Case Studies at The Interphase of Chronic Pain and Psychiatry"

Dr. Kimberly Arlinghaus, senior consultant for psychiatry and director of the Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison Office, Houston VAMC

Noon to 1 p.m.

"Non-Malignant Pain"

Dr. Larry C. Driver, clinical medical director of the Symptom Control and Palliative Care Center at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

2 to 3 p.m.

"Acute Pain: Assessment and Management"

Dr. Bilal F. Shanti, chief of the Pain Section, Anesthesiology Service, Houston VAMC

Tuesday, Nov. 6

8 to 9 a.m.

"Chronic Pain In Spinal Cord Injury"

Dr. Sally Ann Holmes, Spinal Cord Injury Care line executive at the Houston VAMC

10 to 11 a.m.

"Chronic Pain and Sleep Disorders"

Dr. Nilgun Giray, staff psychiatrist and medical director of the Sleep Disorders Clinic at the Houston VAMC

Noon to 1 p.m.

"Pain Management in the Female Population"

Dr. Ashutosh Wali, obstetric anesthesiologist with the Harris County Hospital District; and assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at Baylor College of Medicine

2 to 3 p.m.

"Acupuncture: Clinical Usefulness in Pain Control"

Dr. Bilal F. Shanti, chief of the Pain Section, Anesthesiology Service, Houston VAMC

Wednesday, Nov. 7

8 to 9 a.m.

"Pain Management and Palliative Care"

Dr. Eduardo Bruera, professor of Medicine, F.T. McGraw Chair in the Treatment of Cancer; and Chair in the Department of Symptom Control and Palliative Care at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

10 to 11 a.m.

"JCAHO Revised Standards for Pain Management"

Registered nurse Susan E. Dierker, Medical Care Line nurse executive, Houston VAMC

Noon to 1 p.m.

"Cancer Pain: Assessment and Management"

Dr. Suresh Reddy, assistant professor, and Fellowship Program Director of Pain Management, Division of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Department of Symptom Control and Palliative Care at M.D. Anderson

2 to 3 p.m.

"Psychosocial Approaches to Pain Management"

Dr. Gabriel Tan, staff psychologist in the Pain Section and psychologist in the Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison Office at the Houston VAMC

Thursday, Nov. 8

8 to 9 a.m.

"Mechanical Approaches in Back and Neck Pains"

Teresa A. Atkinson, physical therapist, certified in Medical Diagnosis and Therapy at the Spinal Therapy Institute in Houston

10 to 11 a.m.

"The Role of Chiropractors In Pain Management"

Dr. Gabriella E. Smart, chiropractor and assistant clinic director at Galaxy Health Care Centers in Houston

Noon to 1 p.m.

"Acute Orthopedic Pain Management"

Dr. Jacques E. Chelly, director of Clinical Research, of Regional Anesthesia, of Orthopedic Anesthesia and Postoperative Pain Management, and of the Regional Anesthesia Center for Excellence

2 to 4 p.m.

"Patient and Family Program – Open to the Public"

Veterans and families will address their own experiences in dealing with chronic pain. This will be an interactive nonformal discussion with multiple health care providers.

Moderator: Dr. Bilal F. Shanti, chief of the Pain Section, Anesthesiology Service, Houston VAMC

Friday, Nov. 9

8 a.m. to Noon

"Pharmaceutical fair – Open to the Public" Educational and information materials will be displayed and distributed to hospital staff members, veterans, and their families.

Dr. Shanti says, overall, the VA has been far ahead in recent national efforts to better address patient pain. National efforts to focus on patient pain collimated when the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations decreed in the summer of 2000 that starting Jan. 1 of this year, health care organizations would be evaluated on their ability to measure and manage patient pain.

Getting health care providers such as the VA to focus on pain is, however, what good pain management is all about, says Dr. Shanti, adding that patient education on pain and pain management is a priority.

"We care for more than 600,000 veterans at our medical center and we want to make them aware," Dr. Shanti says.

For more information, or if you would like to attend Pain Awareness Week events at the Houston VA Medical Center, call (713) 791-1414, extension 6477.

---

©2006 Texas Medical Center

---

E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/11_01_01/page_11.html