Brenda Dickinson
The original founder of the Multidisciplinary Pain Clinic, Dr. Vildan Mullin, has returned as its leader once again. Dr. Mullin, an alum of the U-M Anesthesiology residency program, opened the pain clinic in 1979. He was an Instructor and the Pain Clinic Director from 1979 to 1981, and Director, Pain Management Clinic from 1981 to 1982. In 1981 he left the University for private practice, but was called back to the clinic by the chair, Dr. Peter Cohen, in 1989 when the Pain Clinic was in a bind because the director moved to England. Dr. Mullin ran the clinic three days each week for a year. He then became the Section Chief of Neurosurgical Anesthesia from 1991 to 1998, and in 1994, an Associate Professor.
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Dr. Deborah Lomakoski (Fellow) and Dr. Jeffrey Rosenthal |
Since the retirement of Dr. Michael deRosaryo in March of 1999, Dr. Mullin has been making headway in the Pain Clinic, adding physical space and services. Recently the clinic expanded into the space at the north end of their current offices at the Med Inn. This has added a total of four new rooms to the clinic. The largest is the procedure room, which houses the department’s own state-of-the art fluoroscopy unit. The new unit provides the clinic staff with the opportunity to perform more blocks and procedures. Previously, the department only had access to a fluoroscopy unit on one and-a-half days each week in the Internal Medicine medical procedures unit (MPU). Dr. Mullin has high hopes for the new clinic area.
“We will be able to provide patient services the same day they are diagnosed, which is much more convenient for a patient and for us. Before, when we decided to perform a procedure we had to send the patient home and they would have to come back again for the procedure. Which is okay if the patient lives next door, but if they live somewhere like Alpena, they would not like that. Patients will complete their visit in only one day, as opposed to a day-and-a-half. They also won’t have to go to another part of the hospital for a procedure, everything can be done in one place,” Dr. Mullin said.
“The opening of the department’s own fluoroscopy unit has allowed us to be able to perform more procedures, recruit more patients, obtain more referrals, and attract better candidates for fellowships to the department,” Dr. Mullin said.
Each month an average of 520 patients visit the pain clinic, plus an additional 40 to 50 procedures were conducted in the MPU. “It’s not just the number of patients growing, the number of procedures and the program is also growing. We have to provide pain coverage and procedures, and we have to cover the clinic,” Dr. Mullin said.
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Dr. Deborah Lomakoski prepping a patient in the new procedure room |
The Pain Clinic is also adding a few new treatment options. Faculty have started performing implant procedures for spinal cord stimulators and intrathecal morphine pumps. An implant team of Dr. Jeffrey Rosenthal, Dr. Mullin and Dr. Ronald Wassermann, meet every week to discuss and coordinate cases. The Pain Clinic is the first program in the country to offer a spinal cord implant program on cadavers for its fellows. Another new procedure on the horizon is IDET (intradiscal electrol thermal therapy) for selected patients with back pain who are not good candidates for surgery. Dr. Mullin has been certified to perform the procedure and is putting a program in place.
There will be five fellows working in the clinic (four started in July) this year, and an average of three residents rotate through the clinic each month. Since Dr. Mullin’s arrival, the clinic has updated the front office staff, gained a new administrator, Dawn Osborn, hired a new procedure nurse, and increased its social work position from part-time to full-time status, the department already has a full time psychologist. The social worker talks to the patient and tries to solve problems, or may involve the Department of Social Services. If financial assistance is needed, the social worker may help the patient find the means to provide medications. “We have a very good team. Our fellow selections are excellent,” Dr. Mullin said.