Newsletter

WIN: Expanding Science, Education, and Advocacy

Kiran V. Patel, MD

The active membership and contributions of the Women in Neuromodulation (WIN) section of NANS continues to burgeon. The 2019 Annual Meeting saw a significant increase in the number of women neuromodulators, basic scientists, and engineers featured in the scientific program. Among those in participation were:

Plenary Speakers:
Mallory L. Hacker, PhD; Jennifer A. Sweet, MD

Pre-Conference Course Directors:
Shannon Clark, MD; Julie G. Pilitsis, MD PhD; Kimberly M. Bryant, MSN RN APN-BC; Lauren Cimino, APN-CNP; Teresita Devera, MSN CRNP ANP-BC; Christy A. Gomez, APN

Pre-Conference Faculty:
Jessica Jameson, MD; Susan M. Moeschler, MD; Jennifer Durphy, MD; Cristine Cukiert, MD; Kiran V. Patel, MD; Magdalena M. Anitescu, MD PhD; Kimberly M. Bryant, MSN RN APN-BC; Teresita Devera, MSN CRNP ANP-BC; Christy A. Gomez, APN; Beth Parente, PA-C; Lauren Cimino, APN-CNP; Carol Blyzniuk, RN; Jacqueline S. Weisbein, DO; Erika K. Ross, PhD; Jaclyn Pappas, MSN APRN FNP CDE; Leigh E. Charvet, PhD; Mavi Sanchez-Vives, MD PhD; Ann C. Shah, MD; Laura Schweitzer, PhD; Julie G. Pilitsis, MD PhD; Stephanie G. Vanterpool, MD MBA; Halena M. Gazelka, MD

Panel Speakers:
Susan M. Moeschler, MD; Erika A. Petersen, MD; Kim Burchiel, MD; Kathryn L. Holloway, MD; Aryn H. Gittis, PhD; Susan Harkema, PhD; Padma Gulur, MD; Leslie A. Saxon, MD; Susan Harkema, PhD; Jieyun Yin, MD; Kiran V. Patel, MD; Halena M. Gazelka, MD

Moderators:
Stephanie G. Vanterpool, MD MBA; Ellen L. Air, MD PhD; Joohi Jimenez-Shahed, MD; Fenna T. Phibbs, MD MPH; Julie G. Pilitsis, MD PHD; Line G. Jacques, MD; Beth Parente, PA-C; Padma Gulur, MD; Magdalena M. Anitescu, MD PhD; Kiran V. Patel, MD; Erika A. Petersen, MD; Julie Huang-Lionnet, MD MBA

WIN Spotlight: Halena M. Gazelka, MD

An Advocate for Interventional Therapies and Responsible Pain Management

On February 19, 2019, WIN member Halena M. Gazelka, MD, was invited by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to address the topic, “Managing Pain during the Opioid Crisis.” Dr. Gazelka is the Director of the Mayo Clinic inpatient acute and chronic pain services and one of the Directors of Mayo Hospice in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Gazelka chairs the Mayo Clinic Opioid Stewardship Program, dedicated to improving patient care and reducing opioid diversion and addiction. This program at Mayo was developed after a survey of thousands of patients across multiple surgical specialties to implement internal prescribing guidelines and multi-modal pain treatment strategies.

At her appearance before the Senate, Dr. Gazelka shared her experiences with the Opioid Stewardship Program and as an interventional pain physician offering patients non-opioid therapies within her own personal practice. Dr. Gazelka urged the Senate to consider several salient points with regard to opioid prescribing and chronic pain management. In regard to chronic pain, Dr. Gazelka encouraged that “as medical conditions and subsequent needs evolve, physicians should utilize evidence-based interventions and restorative therapies to ensure proper management. Typically, patients with chronic pain, particularly when not cancer related, may be better candidates for non-opioid therapies. Often most effective among these opioids sparing therapies is neuromodulation.” Dr. Gazelka urged the senate for more extensive research and funding to examine why “some patients with acute pain develop chronic painful conditions—and to find a means to interrupt that progression.”

Dr. Gazelka implored the Senate to adopt “federal policy that embraces multi-faceted approaches to the treatment of opioid use disorder, including access and prevention.” She went on to state that “Medicare and Medicaid must develop additional coverage of ,and reimbursement for, non-opioid pharmacotherapies and interventional treatments for chronic pain to prevent the contact with opioids that may lead to addiction.”

In-line with the recent NANS Ask About Pain website, a means of educating the public about neuromodulatory therapies, Dr. Gazelka closed her testimony with, “empowering patients is key to solving the epidemic. We must increasingly engage patients in shared decision making and educate them on treatment, risks, and alternatives."

Halena M. Gazelka, MD, advocating for neuromodulatory therapies and responsible pain management at the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee February 19, 2019.