Diagnosing and Treating Chronic Pain:  The Multidisciplinary Approach

Monday, July 19, 2004

 Faculty

Four Points by Sheraton Hyannis Resort, Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

 Schedule

Executive Summary

Patients with chronic pain cannot be successfully treated and returned to work unless and until their condition is accurately diagnosed. In this course, attendees will learn how to correctly diagnose and treat patients with chronic pain through an evidenced based, multidisciplinary approach. The significant cost savings associated with the correct diagnosis and effective treatment of patients with chronic pain will be demonstrated.
 

Workshop Objectives

In this intensive one-day seminar attendees will learn:

  • Multidisciplinary medical diagnostic and treatment techniques and the importance of evidenced based medicine.

  • The advantages and disadvantages of neuro-pharmacology in treating chronic pain patients

  • How to identify correct diagnoses versus incorrect diagnoses and thus prevent unnecessary treatment and costs.

  • How to recognize true versus misdiagnosed lumbar and cervical strain, RSD and fibromyalgia, and the appropriate treatment measures to take in each case.

  • The huge potential for cost savings for misdiagnosed lumbar and cervical strain, RSD (CRPS I), and fibromyalgia cases.

  • How to distinguish between malingerers and chronic pain patients that have true organic pathology.

  • The true cost impact of the failure to accurately diagnosis and correctly treat a claimant with chronic pain.

Distinguished Faculty

Nelson Hendler, MD, MS, graduated Princeton University, in 1966, and received an MD and an MS in neurophysiology from University of Maryland School of Medicine. He did his residency in psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was a full time faculty member, serving as assistant director of the Chronic Pain Treatment Center, and Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He started Mensana Clinic in 1978, which focuses on the multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain patients. Mensana Clinic receives 75% of its patients from 44 states and 8 foreign countries, and was listed in Business Week as one of the 8 best pain treatment centers in the United States. He had published 3 books, 31 medical textbook chapters, and 51 articles in peer reviewed medical journals. He is Clinical Director of Mensana Clinic, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Associate Professor of Physiology at University of Maryland, School of Dental Surgery. He was made an honorary member of the Israeli Pain Society, received the Dorfman Award for an article in the journal Psychosomatics, and the Janet Travell Award for Clinical Excellence from the American Academy of Pain Management. He has served as a member of the board of directors of a publicly held bank and insurance company.

Tuition

The $295 tuition includes continental breakfast, breaks, lunch with faculty, a seminar manual with Reference Material, and a unique, interactive learning experience from an international speaker and recipient of the distinguished Janet Travell Award for Excellence in the field of Chronic Pain. Janet Travell was a leading pioneer in the field and personal physician to two presidents of the USA.

Continuing Education Information

Click here for Continuing Education Information.

Schedule
 

Monday, July 19, 2004

7:30-8:30

 Continental Breakfast

8:30-8:45

 Introduction: Dr. Hendler will discuss the subject of chronic pain and its medical and financial impact on injured workers, employers, and the workers' compensation system. Questions and Answers

8:45-9:15

 Multidisciplinary versus Monomodal Diagnosis and Treatment: Attendees will learn advantages of multidisciplinary versus monomodal diagnosis and treatment.

9:15-10:00

 CRPS I (RSD): Attendees will learn how to recognize CRPS I (RSD), and how to determine if a claimant has been misdiagnosed and actually has nerve entrapments or perhaps a mixed case of CRPS I (RSD).

10:00-10:30

 "Catch All" Diagnoses: Attendees will learn the appropriate action to take to confirm a misdiagnosis of lumbar and cervical strain, CRPS I (RSD), CRPS II or fibromyalgia, commonly referred to as "catch all" diagnoses. Questions and Answers

10:30-10:45

 Break & Networking Opportunity

10:45-11:15

 The Dangers and Costs of Inappropriate Descriptive Diagnoses: Attendees will learn appropriate diagnoses as opposed to inappropriate, or descriptive diagnoses, and the dangers associated with escalated costs and longer return to work rates, if the claimant even returns to work with respect to descriptive diagnoses. Questions and Answers

11:15-12:00

 Evaluation and Treatment of Patients with Chronic Pain: Attendees will learn effective medical evaluation skills for chronic pain claimants. The faculty will explain the importance of physiological as well as anatomical tests and the usefulness or application for effective individualized treatment plans. Attendees will learn the importance of individualized treatment plans.

12:00-1:00

 Lunch Provided with Faculty

1:00-2:15

 Neuro-Pharmacology and Chronic Pain Patients: Attendees will learn neuro-pharmacology's usefulness as well as its dangers of contributing to iatrogenic misdiagnosis of long-term injury, especially involving the neuro-synaptic transmitters. The faculty will discuss how anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, anti-convulsants, and other medications can be used appropriately, or inappropriately (worsen the patient's condition) to treat chronic pain. Dr. Hendler will also discuss the truth and myths of the use of narcotics to treat protracted pain. Questions and Answers
2:15-3:00 Symptom Magnification and Malingering: The faculty will lead a frank discussion concerning symptom magnification and malingering. Attendees will learn how to correctly distinguish between true drug seeking or secondary gain behavior and a patient that may have been misdiagnosed with an inadequate diagnosis and treatment plan. Questions and Answers
3:00-3:15 Break & Networking Opportunity
3:15-4:00 Evidence Based Medicine and Chronic Pain: Attendees will learn the definition, application and importance of evidence-based medicine as it relates to patients with chronic pain. Attendees will learn the importance of objectivity and medical integrity, and the potential cost savings and cost containment with which it is associated. The faculty will lead a discussion concerning the importance of enhancing credibility and reputation through published peer review articles, and the true meaning of it with respect to case management and risk assessment. Questions and Answers
4:00-5:00 Case Studies: The faculty will present and discuss cost analysis case studies of failure to accurately diagnose a patient with chronic pain. The faculty will review numerous techniques for getting your claimants with chronic pain back to work. Questions and Answers

 
SEAK in Hyannis -- July 2004
       
     

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