Your Visit

What you can expect on your first visit to The Center for Advanced Pain Management

Prior to scheduling your initial appointment at The Center for Advanced Pain Management, you will speak with our Pain Management Coordinator, Eric Pakutka, RN, who will explain the philosophy of the Pain Center, the strategies used at the Center to treat your pain, and how we will get you to start living fully again.

At your first visit, a receptionist will greet you and ask you for:

• Copies of pertinent information such as medical records, x-rays, MRIs, CT scans.
• Insurance information
• Referral (if required)
• Co-Pay (if required)
• Completed Pain Management Questionnaire. This questionnaire will be mailed to you prior to your appointment. In order to save you time and keep the office running on schedule, we ask that you bring the completed questionnaire with you 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.

A Registered Nurse will then escort you to a treatment room to review your Pain Management Questionnaire and record your weight and vital signs.

A physician specializing in pain management will see you next. The physician will review the Pain Management Questionnaire with you verbally, complete a medical/surgical history and then perform a physical exam.

At your initial screening, every patient with nonmalignant pain who is getting pain medications will get a urine toxicology screening and will be subject to future randomized urine toxicology screens at least twice a year. And every patient will have to sign an opioid contract.

Once your exam is complete, you and your pain management physician (along with the Pain Management Coordinator if necessary) will develop and implement a plan of care.

Your initial visit may take about one hour to complete. Please plan your day accordingly.

Subsequent or follow-up visits take less time, approximately 10-15 minutes, but interventional procedures vary in time according to the complexity of the procedure indicated in your plan of care. Please arrive 30 minutes early for all interventional procedures. The preoperative nurse will use this time to prepare you for your procedure.

If at any time you need assistance or have questions, the Pain Management Coordinator for The Center for Advanced Pain Management can help guide you through the process. Do not hesitate to call Eric Pakutka, RN at 908-788-6410.