Download Occupational Medicine and Treatment of the Injured Worker

Management of the Injured Worker XV – April 7, 2017
Renaissance Nashville Hotel – 611 Commerce Street, Nashville TN
Engaging All Resources in the Treatment and Management of Pain
Educational Goals
Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s “Management of the Injured Worker” conference in 2017 will focus on “Engaging all
Resources in the Treatment and Management of Pain.” As recent guidelines aim to decrease inappropriate opioid prescribing,
this conference will increase awareness about non-opioid treatments, which are available in the fields of pain medicine,
physical therapy, integrative medicine, interventional pain management and surgery. Preventing acute pain due to injury
from developing into a chronic pain syndrome also requires appropriate intervention for psychological issues and the
engagement of employers and employees. This conference should be of interest to our multidisciplinary audience of nurse
case managers, claim adjusters, occupational health nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physicians, physical
therapists and employer representatives who are involved in treating and managing workers’ compensation patients, and
need to work together with the goal of returning injured employees to productive work.
8:00 – 8:15
Introduction & Overview of Pain – Jonas Kalnas, MD, Consultant
(15 min.)
Vanderbilt Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine
Describe features of pain and goals for the conference.
8:15 – 9:00
Engagement of Employers and Employees – John Von arb, Vice President of Corporate Health and
(45 min.)
Employer Services, Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network
Describe current concepts of engagement to improve job satisfaction and facilitate early return to
work, which are factors that help to prevent acute pain from developing into a chronic pain syndrome.
9:00 – 9:45
Pain Medicine in Practice – Jeffrey Hazlewood, MD, Private Practice, Pain Medicine and Physical
(45 min.)
Medicine / Rehabilitation, Lebanon, TN
Describe how a pain medicine specialist coordinates the services of other providers. Describe
withdrawal of opioid pain medication, and appropriate use of medications for painful conditions such
as headache, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, back pain and complex regional pain.
9:45 – 10:15
Symptom Exaggeration or Malingering? – James S. Walker, PhD, Private Practice,
(30 min.)
Forensic Neuropsychology Services, Nashville, TN
Describe how to determine whether a pain patient is exaggerating symptoms in order to get more
attention / treatment or is malingering.
10:15 – 10:30
10:30 – 11:15
Break
Physical Therapy for Pain – Melinda Sandy, PT, Clinical Coordinator of Spine, Joint & Trauma Teams,
(45 min.)
Vanderbilt Orthopedics Institute Rehabilitation Services
Describe the appropriate use of various physical therapies such as manual therapy, traction, postural
correction, exercise, hot/cold packs, transcutaneous electrical stimulation, interferential current,
ultrasound, phonophoresis, iontophoresis and laser therapy for pain.
11:15 – 12:00
Integrative Medicine – Linda Manning, PhD, Interim Director and Katy Hansen, ANC-BC
(45 min.)
Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt
Describe psychological aspects of pain, and the use of stress management, mind-body counselling,
mindfulness, acupuncture, acupressure, massage, exercise, yoga, and nutrition coaching in treating and
managing patients with chronic pain.
12:00 – 12:45
Lunch
12:45 – 1:30
Interventional Pain Medicine – Kurt Dittrich, MD / Jenna Walters, MD , Division of Pain Medicine,
(45 min.)
Vanderbilt Anesthesiology
Describe the appropriate use of interventional pain therapies such as injections, pump implants, spinal
cord electrical stimulation, intradiscal electrothermy, cryogenic cooling, radiofrequency rhizotomy and
neuroablation.
1:30 – 2:15
Surgery for Back Pain – Byron Stephens, MD
(45 min.)
Vanderbilt Orthopedics and Vanderbilt Spine Center
Describe the appropriate use of surgical procedures such as spinal fusion, laminectomy,
foraminectomy, diskectomy, disk replacement and interlaminar implant for painful back conditions.
Also discuss recent developments in minimally invasive spinal surgery.
2:15 – 3:00
Return to Work Strategies – Melanie Swift, MD, Director, Occupational Health Clinic
(45 min.)
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Describe the benefits of early / timely return to work by injured employees, and strategies to facilitate
early return to work.
3:00
Adjourn
Themes for Speakers:
 Briefly explain the therapy, treatment or procedure.
 What conditions or body parts is it used for?
 Is it effective for acute or chronic pain?
 What are the indications and contraindications?




What is the duration of the therapy/treatment?
Are there any return-to-work or activity restrictions?
Are there any adverse effects?
What is the effectiveness / expected outcome?