Pain Management Clinic
We aim to assist patients to reduce the impact of persistent pain by optimising pain treatments, improving function and promoting self-management.
Clinical service overview
The Caulfield Pain Management and Research Centre is funded by the DHHS Health Independence Program. We provide goal orientated and time limited services though the provision of expert assessment, patient education and access to a number of treatment modalities which focuses primarily on a self-management approach to ongoing pain
Services offered
Upon acceptance of a referral patients will be asked to attend a Service Information and Triage session held weekly.
This session provides essential information on what the clinic treatment pathways are and gives patients an opportunity to discuss their individual needs and next steps with one of our clinicians. This step will also determining a person’s priority within the service and the most appropriate assessment pathway.
The assessment process may involve:
- An assessment with our Allied Health multidisciplinary team (this includes OT, Physio and Psychology) and is requirement if continuing on with therapeutic programs
- An Assessment with a medical Pain Specialist.
All clients will receive either an electronic or paper based pain questionnaire that needs to be completed and returned before the client can continue through to assessment.
Treatment may include:
- Medical management
- Allied health assessment and recommendations for ongoing treatment
- Pain management education
- Multidisciplinary pain management programmes:
- CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) pain management group programs - 9 week course
- START UP: Functional and physical self-improvement - 8 Week Course
- Hydrotherapy - 6 week course
- Feldenkrais - 8 week course
- Tai Chi - 8 week course
- Stress management (basic and advanced) - 2 x 2hr program
- Sleep (basic and advanced) - 2 x 2hr program
- Medication management - 2hr program
- Clinical psychology
- Occupational therapy (ergonomic, occupational, work and work capacity assessments)
- Physiotherapy
- Relaxation (basic and advanced)
- Biofeedback
- Hypnosis
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
- Assessment for interventional procedures (anaesthetic blocks) and referrals on, when deemed clinically appropriate
- Education to referrers and other parties
- Support to transition to community services, ensuring effective follow on referrals
- Medico legal reports
Refer your patient
Refer your patient
Caulfield Access is responsible for intake, information and referral processing for a wide range of community and ambulatory services.
Only referrals from a General Practitioner or other medical specialist will be accepted.
We also welcome phone enquiries to discuss potential referrals or an existing referral. Referrals are triaged depending on priority.
Patients requiring immediate assessment should be sent to the Alfred Emergency & Trauma Centre.
To refer a patient to the Pain Clinic either:
- Complete the Service Coordination Tool Template (SCTT) and submit electronically.
or
- Complete and fax your SCTT referral form to Caulfield Access Unit.
Once a referral has been received, the access unit will phone the patient directly to discuss their needs and organise appropriate services.
- Referral phone (03) 9076 6776
- Referral fax (03) 9076 6773
- Referral email gcgmcaccess@cgmc.org.au
- Pain Clinic Contact phone (after referral accepted) (03) 9076 6834
Special referral instructions
Before making a referral to the pain clinic please consider the following eligibility criteria and discuss with the patient.
Eligibility Criteria includes:
- Clients over 18 years of age
- Experiencing persistent or chronic pain greater than 3 months in duration with symptoms that impact on daily activities including impact on work, study, and school or carer role
- Participated in an adequate trial of treatments in the previous 12 months (exercise and analgesia)
- At risk of functional or psychological deterioration, or medication dependence
- At risk of acute pain becoming chronic (for example Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or acute herpes zoster)
- Willing to explore living well with pain and is willing to learn to self-manage ongoing pain
- For patients outside the metropolitan area, consider whether they are willing and/or able to travel to attend the clinic on a regular basis for assessment and treatment.
We do not encourage referrals for only medication/prescription renewals
Prioritisation of referrals:
- CRPS < 3 months duration
- Repeated ED presentations
- At risk of job loss
All referrals require the following information:
Essential information:
- Referrer details and contact number
- Pain history: onset, location, nature of pain and duration
- Psychological status and cognitive function
- Details of previous pain management including the course of treatment(s) and outcome of treatment(s)
- Comprehensive past medical history, including mental health issues
- History of alcohol, recreational or injectable drugs or prescription medicine misuses
- Details of previous treatments and procedures
- Current and complete medication history (including non-prescription medicines, herbs and supplements)
- Copies of investigations
Additional information:
- Details of functional impairment
- Psychiatric history
- If the person has symptoms of, or have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Details of current behaviours that may impact on the person’s ability to participate in a chronic pain management program (e.g. mental health issues, behaviours of concern, cognition issues, level of alcohol or other drugs intake)
- If person part of the vulnerable populations.
Clinic times
Day | Campus | Time |
---|---|---|
Tuesday | Caulfield Hospital | 8.30am - 5.00pm |
Wednesday | Caulfield Hospital | 8.30am - 5.00pm |
Thursday | Caulfield Hospital | 8.30am - 5.00pm |
Friday | Caulfield Hospital | 8.30am - 5.00pm |
Clinic consultants
- A/Prof Carolyn Arnold: Pain Medicine, Rehabilitation Medicine
- Dr Sarah Donovan: Pain Medicine
- Dr Jason Teh: Rehabilitation Medicine, Pain Medicine
- Dr Dushyanta Shan: Pain Medicine, Psychiatry
- Dr Romi Goldschlager: Psychiatry
- Dr Matthew Frei: Addiction Medicine
MBS-billed service
On the doctor’s behalf, Alfred Health can bulk bill the cost of the consultation for some services through Medicare. This means there is no out of pocket expense to the patient.
MBS-billed services require a current referral. Provide your patient with a 12 month referral to see the specialist of your choice at the requested clinic.
Referrals must be addressed to a named specialist or the Head of service, listed at the top of this page. Clinic consultants are listed on every clinic page.
Note that from time to time, your patient may be seen by another specialist in the clinic, in order to expedite their treatment.
Resources
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Australian Pain Society
An organisation aiming to relieve pain and related suffering through advocacy and leadership in clinical practice, education and research
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International Association for the Study of Pain
The IASP brings together scientists, clinicians, health-care providers, and policymakers to stimulate and support the study of pain and translate that knowledge into improved pain relief worldwide
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Pain Health
painHEALTH offers you information, tips and self management tools to assist in the management of musculoskeletal pain
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Pain Management Network
Helping people to gain a better understanding of pain
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Pain Revolution
Pain Revolution is on a mission to help all Australians access community-based pain education through the Local Pain Educator Program.
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Tame the Beast
Freely available, non-commercial education space that hopes to inspire research-based action in the treatment of pain. At the moment, Tame the Beast is an animation, a question-and-answer and it'll soon host a podcast series.