Make Pain a Thing of the Past – relationship – Physician Partners of America

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PPOA to open Wellington, Fla. pain management clinic

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Physician Partners of America Pain Relief Group is proud to announce the opening of its Wellington pain management clinic, its eleventh Florida location, at 1397 Medical Park Blvd., Suite 140, Wellington, Fla., 33414.

The Wellington pain clinic, scheduled to open Jan. 15, will be supervised by Alejandro G. Tapia, M.D., an interventional pain management physician. Dr. Tapia will also continue seeing patients at PPOA’s Boynton Beach pain clinic.

In a region of the country known for treating opioid addiction, PPOA aims to provide alternatives to narcotic pain relievers through interventional pain management. This subspecialty of pain management medicine uses minimally invasive techniques to treat and manage acute or chronic pain. These may include post-surgical discomfort, neck and back pain, cancer pain, arthritis pain and traumatic injury.

“Interventional pain management is the least talked-about option for pain relief, but one of the most effective,” said Tracie Lawson, president and COO of Physician Partners of America. “It can prevent addiction to narcotic pain medication in the first place.”

Interventional treatment typically includes various injections, nerve blocks, topical and oral medications, and minimally invasive, outpatient surgical procedures. PPOA distinguishes itself by also offering same-day appointments, drug-gene testing for medication compatibility, and intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) for surgical safety.

The clinic will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Patients can call (561) 250-7762 for an appointment. Same-day appointments are also available.

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Strengthening the Doctor-Patient Relationship

Five easy steps to create a strong doctor-patient bond in the initial visit.

The relationship between doctor and patient continues to be the keystone in quality medical care. When a trusting healthy relationship is fostered initially, it is more readily maintained and set up for further growth. Quality relationships lead to an accurate description of symptoms, full medical history disclosure, and ultimately a more holistic view of the patient.

  1. Obtain Patient Consent

Obtain patient consent at every possible opportunity and work to maintain this mutual respect in which the patient feels autonomy over their own body. Frame things in a question as opposed to predetermined steps.

The simple act of asking permission rather than telling the patient what you are going to do immediately puts them at ease and makes them feel like a valued stakeholder in their own health.

2. Poker Face

Check your personal opinions at the door. While you may encounter patients that engage in unsafe or otherwise alarming behaviors it is not your job to pass judgment. Remain outwardly neutral as you explain the risks of a given activity and always appeal logically as opposed to emotionally. The moment you show your emotions on your face your patient will feel defensive and the trust that has been built in this short time will have already been broken.

3. Eye Contact

This one is easy! Keep your eyes on the patient as frequently as possible. If you are not engaged with your patient they will not engage with you. Eye contact is another way to help the patient feel valued and it reflects good listening skills when you are focused on your patient as they speak.

4. Assume Ability

Remember by now you know to check your judgments at the door so don’t stop at physical and mental ability. If you have a patient who appears to be differently abled, elderly, or young do not gloss over important questions you assume don’t apply to that patient. Your patient will notice, and the trust you have otherwise established will be damaged.

5. Simplify your Words

You have heard this one before; don’t spew medical jargon! While that is an important lesson let’s take it one step further and challenge you to be concise. If you lecture or over explain to your patient they will tune you out. Remember this is not your appointment this is about the patient. Making them feel important in their personal health will also motivate them to make healthy choices and continue to seek your input as well.

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