Focused on relief
“Debilitating pain requires swift attention,” says ORA Pain Management Physician, Dr. Sanjay Sundar. “The whole purpose of our Pain Center expansion is to make sure we see every patient in a timely manner, reduce treatment fees, and do so while maintaining our gold standard of individualized pain-relief care.
“With the advent of high-deductible health plans, many patients often cannot afford the high facility costs associated with surgery centers and hospitals. We are one of the few pain clinics in the region that performs procedures in a clinic-based pain management suite that has the ability to reduce the patient’s overall insurance burden, and in many instances, without a referral.”
Convenience and lower costs
In the past, Dr. Sundar says many pain procedures were performed in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), which charges facility fees, as well as requires longer-term scheduling.
“The fact is, the vast majority of pain management procedures can be performed in a clinic setting. Any procedure that does not require anesthesia such as epidural steroid injections, SI joint injections, facet joint injections and medial branch blocks, as well as patients who need joint injections for herniated discs, or chronic arthritic pain, can be treated in the office. We only perform pain management procedures in our new pain procedure suite – so they are efficiently scheduled and performed. Other surgical cases do not impact or delay the flow and timing of treatment.
“Insurance companies now require that certain procedures, including pain procedures, be office-based. They are looking to reduce overall healthcare costs and note that certain procedures can be safely and effectively performed in a clinic-based environment. In order to continue to provide this valuable service to our patients, ORA has transitioned to a clinic-based approach.
“In our clinic-based procedure room, the only charge is for the professional physician fee. The fees are significantly less, resulting in less co-insurance amounts owed by the patient. The out-of-pocket difference for the patient can be upwards of a few hundred dollars. This can be significant, especially for those patients that need multiple pain procedures.”
Patient-centered care
In addition to convenience and cost savings, the new expansion allows Dr. Sundar and his team to efficiently meet with each patient and assess how pain management will help achieve his or her lifestyle goals. “We take an evidence-based approach centered on the patient’s needs.
I always see my patients first and ask what they want to accomplish, rather than just review a procedure list. It’s their goals that help drive decisions about their care, rather than just treating the symptoms.”
Dr. Sundar adds that more complex procedures requiring some anesthesia or conscious sedation, such as radiofrequency ablations and spinal cord stimulators, will continue to be performed at ORA Surgery Center.
Pain Center FAQ
