|
The Chronic Pain Management Unit is an inter-disciplinary program. An interdisciplinary program is made up of different health care professionals. These professionals all share the same philosophy regarding the treatment of chronic pain. They work together to teach patients coping strategies to deal with their chronic pain condition. The staff patients will be working with while they attend this program are:
|
|
|
Dr. Ramesh Zacharias, MD, FRCS(c), DAAPM, CMD
His clinical practice was Emergency Medicine from 1981-2005. Since 2005 he has worked in a community based clinic with a focus on Chronic Pain Management. Dr Zacharias has a special area of interest in Pain Management in Older Persons. He published an article in the Journal of Diagnosis in April 2010 addressing that issue. He has been a Medical Director and attending physician in 4 LTC facilities since 2001. He is currently the Medical Director at the Village of Erin Meadows, a 180 bed LTC facility in Mississauga, Ontario. He has developed an inter-disciplinary pain program at the LTC facility involving over 10 different disciplines providing a coordinated approach to managing pain of the residents. In May 2009 Dr Zacharias received his Diplomate from the American Academy of Pain Management and received the designation of Certified Medical Director (CMD) of Long Term Care facilities from the American Medical Directors Association in December 2009. He is currently the Director of Clinical Services of Schlegel Villages which manages 2500 LTC and Retirement Home beds. In June 2010 he received an appointment in the Faculty of Health Sciences, as an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct), Department of Anesthesia McMaster University. In January 2012 he was appointed as Medical Director of the Chronic Pain Management Unit at Hamilton Health Sciences Chedoke site.
Dr. Sean Curran, Bsc, MD, FRCP(C)
I began working as an anesthesiologist at Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital in Burlington, practicing in both anesthesia and pain medicine. Over the years I realized that pain is a complex experience and chronic pain is rarely relieved with an injection. I sought to learn more about the biopsychosocial approach to pain management and, unfortunately, found there is currently no formal, curriculum based training program in North America. I spent 2010 in Sydney, Australia, studying at the Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) with Michael Cousins and his group, under the cirriculum of the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. The RNSH has a pain managment program similar to the CPMU at Chedoke. Upon returning to Canada I sought out multidisciplinary pain management resources and was pleased to find the CPMU and was glad to join their team. I look forward to working with this unique team of professionals that help patients continue their fulfilling lives in spite of pain.
|
Dr. Zacharias graduated with his Doctorate in Medicine in 1980 from the University of Western Ontario. He subsequently did a Rotating Internship at St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. From 1981-1985 he did his Fellowship in General Surgery at the University of Western Ontario. Subsequent to his surgical residency he was the Senior Research Fellow at the University of Washington in the Department of Vascular Surgery from 1985-1987.
I am excited to be one of the medical personnel at the Chronic Pain Management Unit (CPMU) at Chedoke Hospital. I believe in the biopsychosocial, multidisciplinary approach to chronic pain management, and programs such as the CPMU are essential and unfortunately, few in number. My training began with my Bachelors of Science in Biology, at the University of Western Ontario (UWO), where I focused on courses in physiology and molecular cellular biology. After receiving my medical degree from UWO, I began residency in anesthesia at McMaster University. A small part of the training program is in pain medicine, both acute and chronic. I became fascinated with regional anesthesia, also known as nerve blocks, and how medications such as local anesthetics could interrupt nerve signal transmission and thereby relieve pain. During my five years at McMaster I sought to maximize my learning in regional anesthesia and treatment of pain.
|
|
|
Eleni G. Hapidou, Ph.D., C.Psych., Psychologist|
|
|
|
Physiotherapy helps individuals with chronic pain understand their pain better by educating them about their bodies including why they have pain, helping them set goals, problem solve and work within their pain tolerance. Patients are encouraged to find their "exercise baseline", work within their pain tolerance and advised not to go into their pain by learning how to modify their daily upper or lower body exercises. We believe that fitness for the whole body including the heart and lungs can help people to feel better and be more effective at managing their pain. Physiotherapists are responsible for teaching the patients the importance of fitness: Teaching them the many obstacles that could prevent a person from getting fit and how to cope with these obstacles. the fitness program consists of gentle stretching and strengthening exercises as well as walking. Physiotherapists also provide support and education. Adria Fransson is a liensed phsyiotherapist with over 10 years of experience in rehabilitation. She received her Bachelors of Health Science in Physiotherapy from McMaster University. She has been working in the community in private clinics and home care as well as the hospital setting increasing individuals understanding of their bodies and helping them bridge their care for themselves. Over the last few years she has developed a personal interest in chronic pain and is enjoying her team role at the Chronic Pain Management Unit.
|
Adria Fransson, BHsc (PT)
|
|
Anna Rogers, B.Sc.Phm.,RPh., Clinical Pharmacist
|
Ms. Rogers has had over 15 years of clinical experience working as a pharmacist on various rehabilitation teams at HHSC. She has been with the Chronic Pain Management Unit since 2003. She believes that an important concept in pain management is that each individual is different and will respond differently to situations, treatments, and medications. Medications may play an important role in the management of chronic pain, but they should be used wisely. The use of opioids requires careful management to achieve benefits that outweigh the risks and negative side effects from treatment. Benefit is suggested when there is a significant increase in the person's activities of daily living, when there is a considerable decrease in pain levels, when there is a more positive and promising attitude and when adverse effects are minimal or manageable. Unfortunately, medications alone are seldom sufficient without the additional use of other approaches to treat the patient with chronic pain, emphasizing the importance of the multidisciplinary team. In fact, our team approach in the treatment of chronic pain often lessens the need for medications and other more invasive procedures. “If you are a patient who suffers from chronic pain, you may be on medications, and you should know why you are taking them, how much and how often you need to take them and whether to take the medication before, with, or after meals or at bedtime. Because of the risk of interactions between drugs, some medications should not be generally taken together or should be taken at different times during the day to avoid unwanted reactions. Medications can be confusing, especially if you take them for more than one medical condition”, advises Ms. Rogers. Ms. Rogers meets with the patient on a weekly basis. After discussing each patient with the physician, together they explore various drug options and implement strategies to optimize medication therapy. “We work together along with the patient and sometimes the family to decide on a treatment plan with the goal of less pain, more function and return to everyday activities with the least, manageable, medication side effects possible”.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greg Luth BHSc. (OT), OT Reg.(Ont.)
Kathleen Gallagher BA, BRLS, BHSc., OTReg.(Ont.)
|
|
|
|
Antoinette Leone BA, BSW, RSW
|
|
|
McMaster University in 2002 and has a Bachelors of Social Work Degree. She is a member in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers since 2003. Antoinette has worked exclusively in the Addictions and Mental Health field with both Hamilton Health Sciences and The City of Hamilton since 1997 and has been with CPMU since 2006. She has found throughout her various work experiences, individuals living with chronic pain who struggle with the challenges they face day to day. Ineffective and sometimes destructive coping methods can be adopted which can compound psychosocial issues, eroding an individuals sense of self and the much needed support of family. Antoinette believes that the individual and their family, however defined by the individual, are mutually linked to the impacts and outcomes of Chronic Pain. Her passion is to work directly with the individual and with their family to positively influence their coping and resilience through living with Chronic Pain. Support by family is a key determinant in successful long term self management of pain. Antoinette works with the Residential clients of the CPMU and Program family members. She co-facilitates our Pre-admission group and Educational Family Group.
|
|
|
Tracey Usher, B.Sc. Clinical Nutrition