Over the past several years Fort Lauderdale has seen an explosion in pain management.
However, I wouldn’t call it pain management. Pill mills have sprouted like mushrooms after a rain.
I have seen increasingly a concerning trend: Patients who go to and trust a “pain management” doctor, never inquire as to their training, never inquire as to their board certification, never ask if they have been fellowship trained (by an accredited or recognized fellowship).
Sadly these patients come to us and have had medical “management” which boils down to an introduction to an opioid addiction or dependence and yet their pain is no better. Or worse yet had procedures done and billed to them or their insurance by incompetent or poorly trained or credentialed physicians (or physicians practicing outside their scope), sometimes injured by the procedures.
I have had innumerable comments which amount to the following: “Goodness Gracious! The procedure you just did was nothing like the (insert procedure) that I had at (insert nefarious doctor’s) office!” “This time was… vastly less painful…using image guidance… actually explained to me…, while I was awake and yet it didn’t hurt… (and the saddest:) this time it actually worked.”
Ask these questions… and make certain you get these answers:
QUESTION: Are you currently board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in either anesthesiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation or Physiatry, or even neurology?
SAMPLE ANSWER: Yes! I am currently board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation by the ABMS!
QUESTION: Are you currently board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) _in Pain Medicine? (this not absolutely essential but strongly suggested, and if not a great fellowship or other documented training is absolutely required)
SAMPLE ANSWER: Of course! I am ABMS sub-specialty boarded in Pain Medicine through the American Board of Anesthesia!
QUESTION: Where did you do your fellowship? Was it at a university? Was it American Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited? Did you finish? Did you attain any honors?
SAMPLE ANSWER: Of Course, I finished my fellowship at Emory University, it was ACGME, I was the chief fellow.
HOW many (insert procedure) have you done? Where did you learn to do them? How many do you do a week, or month? What complications have you had?
LASTLY
There are indeed some great pain and spine doctors in Fort Lauderdale see my “Great Doctors” page to get to know them.
Fort Lauderdale Pain Medicine
Fort Lauderdale Pain Management
Pain Management Fort Lauderdale
Over the past several years Fort
