The Chronic Pain Patient: Patient Assessment and Treatment to Maximize Outcome and Mitigate Risk

Thursday, April 27, 2017
The Brattleboro Retreat
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM 

Ronald J. Kulich, PhD

Click here to Register

This comprehensive program will assist clinicians in identifying risk factors associated with the development of chronic pain, disability, and the common unintended consequences of passive rehabilitative and pharmacological treatments such as chronic opioid therapy.  Strategies for managing the complex patient are addressed, including termination of opioid therapy and integration of evidence-based approaches across mental health and medical disciplines.

Learning Objectives
At the end of this conference, participants will be able to

1.  Identify the patterns, causes and effect of chronic pain, with specific reference to risks for disability, substance misuse, and death
2. Identify the common psychiatric comorbidities associated with chronic pain
3. Identify evidence-based components of opioid risk stratification
4. Critique the common behavioral treatments that address disability and other comorbidities associated with chronic pain
5. List at least two strategies for chronic opioid tapering and two barriers to success

Ronald J. Kulich, PhD, is a Full Professor at Tufts School of Dental Medicine and holds a Lecturer appointment at Harvard-MGH, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Medicine. His responsibilities include the development and management of opioid risk assessment protocols for the Massachusetts General Hospital Pain Center and Facial Pain/Headache Center at Tufts School of Dental Medicine. His patient clinical care and assessment activities include evidence-based use of screening/assessment with a range of chronic pain populations, and the impact of public policy on access to pain care.