The Interventional Pain Physician is responsible for evaluating, diagnosing, and treating patients suffering from complex, chronic, or acute pain conditions (e.g., degenerative disc disease, sciatica, arthritis, migraines, and cancer-related pain). The primary objective is to enhance the patient's functional mobility, reduce dependency on opioid medications, and significantly improve their overall quality of life.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
1. Clinical Evaluation & Diagnosis
- Conduct comprehensive medical histories and targeted physical and neurological examinations.
- Review, order, and interpret advanced diagnostic imaging (X-rays, MRIs, CT scans) and electrodiagnostic studies (EMG/NCS) to locate precise "pain generators."
- Formulate individualized, evidence-based, multimodal treatment plans for short- and long-term care.
2. Interventional Procedures
Perform a high volume of advanced, minimally invasive procedures, usually under fluoroscopic (X-ray) or ultrasound guidance, including but not limited to:
- Epidural Steroid Injections (ESIs): Caudal, interlaminar, and transforaminal.
- Nerve Blocks: Facet joint injections, medial branch blocks, and sympathetic nerve blocks.
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): Thermally interrupting pain signals from arthritic joints.
- Advanced Neuromodulation: Conducting trials and permanent implants for Spinal Cord Stimulators (SCS) and Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) stimulators.
- Joint & Soft Tissue Injections: Large joint injections (hip, knee, shoulder) and trigger point injections.
3. Comprehensive & Multimodal Care
- Prescribe non-opioid medications, managing pharmacotherapy with an emphasis on reducing overall narcotic usage.
- Oversee organizational compliance regarding opioid risk assessment, toxicology screening, and state prescription monitoring programs.
- Coordinate care with a multidisciplinary network, including physical therapists, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, and pain psychologists.
4. Leadership & Administration
- Provide clinical supervision and collaborative oversight for Advanced Practice Providers (NPs and PAs).
- Direct and coordinate the patient care activities of nursing and medical support staff in the clinic and procedure suite.
- Maintain precise, timely electronic health records (EHR) to facilitate accurate billing, coding, and regulatory compliance.
Position Requirements & Qualifications:
Education & Training
- Degree: Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) from an accredited institution.
- Residency: Successful completion of an ACGME-accredited residency program, typically in Anesthesiology or Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM Neurology or Psychiatry are also eligible paths.
- Fellowship: Completion of an ACGME-accredited, one-year subspecialty Fellowship in Pain Medicine.
Licensure & Certification:
- Board certification (or board eligibility) in the primary specialty and subspecialty Board Certification in Pain Medicine (via ABA, ABMS, or ABPM).
- Active, unrestricted state medical license.
- Active DEA license with state-appropriate prescriptive authority.
Skills & Competencies
- Exceptional manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination for performing precise needle placements under image guidance.
- Strong critical thinking skills to manage ambiguous, treatment-resistant pain cases.
- Compassionate bedside manner with top-tier interpersonal communication skills to manage patient expectations regarding chronic conditions