The Pediatric Pain Management Center at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital is one of just six clinical centers nationwide to be named a Center of Excellence in Pain Management by the America Pain Society.
Pain centers from every part of the country with excellent performance in relieving suffering and restoring everyday function to patients with persistent pain applied for this year’s award, according to the APS. The award honors pain care teams for delivering optimal and exemplary care for those with myriad chronic-pain disorders, post-surgical pain, trauma-induced pain, and pain from cancer and other life-threatening conditions.
“Pain in childhood can be detrimental to physical, emotional and academic development,” said Jeffrey Koh, M.D., director of pediatric pain management, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, and professor of anesthesiology and pediatrics, OHSU School of Medicine. “We focus on the behavioral impact and take a strong rehab approach to help our patients become functional physically and mentally. Children with chronic pain receive interdisciplinary care by team members who discuss each case and provide evaluation and treatment.”
At the OHSU Doernbecher Pediatric Pain Management Center, a multidisciplinary team works side by side serving inpatients with acute pain and outpatients with chronic pain. Chronic pain management involves medical and psychological care and rehabilitation services designed to help children achieve the functional improvements required to go back to school and lead more normal lives.
Unique services at OHSU include Web-based treatment for children in rural locations and strong community outreach to share information on pediatric pain. The staff regularly participates in grand rounds, visiting professorships, nursing educational initiatives and phone consultations with community pediatricians.
Other centers named centers of excellence include:
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Richard Barrett Pain Management Center, Lebanon, NH
Productive Rehabilitation Institute of Dallas for Ergonomics (PRIDE)
Stanford Pain Center, Palo Alto
University of Minnesota Fairview Pain and Palliative Care Center, Minneapolis
UW Health Pain Care Services, Madison, Wis
About OHSU
Oregon Health & Science University is the state’s only health and research university, and only academic health center. As Portland's largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government), OHSU's size contributes to its ability to provide many services and community support activities not found anywhere else in the state. It serves more than 184,000 patients, and is a conduit for learning for more than 3,900 students and trainees. OHSU is the source of more than 200 community outreach programs that bring health and education services to each county in the state.