WAHIAWA, Hawaii -- U.S. Army Health Clinic-Schofield Barracks presented its new Interdisciplinary Pain Management Clinic, or IPMC, to the post during an open house, July 17, here.
Schofield's IPMC is the first satellite pain clinic in the Department of the Army, and the command ultimately intends to have all of the same pain services that are offered at Tripler Army Medical Center offered at USAHC-SB.
"The Army's Pain Task Force called for IPMCs to be placed at the major medical centers with the goal of supporting the (Warrior Transition Units) and the Soldiers, but we have a satellite, allowing our expertise and service to go to the Soldiers, instead of (having) the Soldier come to (the medical Center)," said Maj. Brian McLean, chief, Pain Medicine and Interventional Pain Services, TAMC. "Currently we provide acupuncture, medical massage, pain physician evaluations and pain psychology, but in the next fiscal year we plan to expand to also offer chiropractic and interventional pain management services, as well as clinical pharmacy."
Currently, Tripler's IPMC sees more than 100 patients a day, while USAHC-SB sees approximately 100 patients a week, but the plan is to expand. Schofield's clinic is currently only serving active duty members, but the plan is to see family members and retirees in the near future.
"Pain is the most frequent reason that patients seek medical care and more than 50 million Americans suffer from some sort of acute or chronic pain (and) this leads to, not only, significant disability but lost time from work and, also, lost quality of life, which is probably most important of all," explained Col. Mary Krueger, commander, USAHC-SB. "Science has shown that really comprehensive pain management, the type modeled by our Integrative Pain Team here at Schofield and Tripler, is the best way to approach solving these pain issues for these patients, returning them to (life and work)."
Brig. Gen. Keith Gallagher, commander, Pacific Regional Medical Command and TAMC, believes that the new satellite clinic is going to be a game changer in the treatment of acute and chronic pain of Schofield's Soldiers and Warriors in Transition.
"You have to be excited about providing a new service at Schofield Barracks that, I believe, is going to change how Soldiers deal with pain in the future," Gallagher said addressing USAHC-SB staff. "Soldiers will no longer have to drive all the way down to Tripler (to get pain-management care)."
Gallagher encouraged Soldiers and staff to spread the word about the new clinic and its services.
"(This clinic) is in the art of healing. And they have the disciplines and the staff necessary to make this (clinic) a game changer for the Soldiers here at Schofield Barracks," Gallagher added.
Patients must be referred to the clinic by their primary care managers; self referrals are not authorized. The clinic is co-located with the Orthopedics and Podiatry Clinic on the first floor in Building 683 and is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, call 808-433-1415.
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