Vicenza Military Community members attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a new pain management clinic at the Vicenza Army Health Clinic July 14. Cutting the ribbon are, from left: Lt. Col. George Smolinski, chief, Department of Neuro Rehabilitation...
CASERMA EDERLE,Italy -- A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of a satellite Integrated Pain Management Clinic at the health clinic here took place July 14.
Among the attendees were local leaders from United States Army Garrison Italy and Maj. Gen. Joseph P. Harrington, commander, U.S. Army Africa.
The dual-specialty satellite clinic, based out of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC), will send a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician monthly to Vicenza to provide treatment of conditions including chronic low back pain, neck pain and orthopedic injuries.
During their inaugural visit in June, specialists from LRMC met with more than 30 patients in the new clinic, which LRMC and U.S. Army Health Clinic-Vicenza leaders opened to provide support, resiliency and readiness to Department of Defense beneficiaries stationed in the Vicenza and Aviano areas with chronic pain and musculoskeletal injuries.
Patients who would have regularly traveled to LRMC on a 12-hour bus ride can now stay in Vicenza and receive specialized medical care, saving fuel costs and time away from work or school. In addition, patients can now take advantage of many procedures typically not available on the local Italian economy, including therapeutic injections in joints, spine and peripheral nerves as well as specialized nerve testing.
"Plain and simple, this initiative saves time for our patients, saves money for the military and increases readiness and our patients in Italy can now get the care they need at their home base in one day, rather than traveling to LRMC," said Dr. (Maj.) Ali Turabi, chief of the Integrated Pain Medicine Clinic.
Patients can obtain pain treatment via referral from their primary care manager.
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