Pain clinic closes to new patients
By Gillian Slade on November 17, 2017.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com @MHNGillianSlade The pain clinic at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital is closed to new patients for the foreseeable future, according to a letter from Alberta Health Services obtained by the News. “Our current wait times are anywhere between 18-24-plus months to see new patients as most of our clinic time is spent with follow-up patients that we have not been able to discharge back to the referring physician for various reasons,” says the letter signed by Dr Emah Salih and Dr. Mohammed Alhujairi. “We will continue to do our best at discharging patients that we feel have met the expectations of our clinic.” All referrals received after Nov. 15 will be sent back to the referring doctor’s office until the clinic can once again accept new patients, the letter states. The only other chronic pain clinic in Medicine Hat is Wardell Centre for Chronic Pain Disease. “Our wait time is complex because we triage all new referrals and some are seen almost immediately if the situation warrants,” said Dr. Gaylord Wardell, anesthesiologist and pain specialist. “Patients for which a specific intervention is not requested the wait list can be two years.” Wardell is concerned about the decision Alberta Health Services has made to close the door to the hospital pain clinic for new patients. It means no one is seeing those patients where an intervention may prevent a worsening of the problem, said Wardell. “The single largest issue with most of our severe chronic pain referrals is lack of acknowledgment of their pain and a rational explanation for the nature of their pain and the options for treatment,” said Wardell. The News requested an interview with AHS about its decision but this was not accommodated on Thursday. There are so few options for alternative care that is covered by the healthcare system, said Wardell, adding that patients and their caregivers have too often given up on seeking a good outcome. As AHS closes the door for new chronic pain patients until the backlog is cleared, the province has announced more safe injection sites for drug addicts. Wardell says those sites are also necessary. “Safe injection sites for intransigent, unresponsive addicts will save their lives and keep them out of the clutches of drug dealers who care nothing for them. Sadly the opponents of these sites offer no alternatives short of incarceration,” said Wardell. 14
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