Our medical faculty and staff working in both inpatient and day hospital have a special interest and expertise in chronic pain syndromes. The attending physician works with each patient and the clinical staff to develop individualized treatment plans, which include daily interaction with expert physicians on our faculty.
For over 30 years, the director, faculty, and staff of the program have participated in teaching and research to improve pain management through scholarly activities including research, scientific publications, professional conferences, and implementation of teaching programs. One of the results was that the PTP was the model for the Department of Defense when they implemented an interdisciplinary rehabilitation program for the care of veterans with Gulf War Syndrome and related conditions resulting in disability.
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The team is led by Michael R. Clark, M.D., M.P.H who is a member of the Blaustein Pain Treatment Center and the Vestibular & Balance Disorders Center at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. Dr. Clark is also a member of the International Association of the Study of Pain, the American Pain Society, the American Psychosomatic Society, and the American Psychiatric Association.
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Mary Cooper, M.S., R.N. is the Nurse Manager for both the Inpatient Unit and the Day Hospital. She has held the position since 1976 and has been instrumental in the Pain Treatment Program’s development. She is part of the multidisciplinary team who strive to provide state-of-the-art care for patients with chronic pain.
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS
The nurse practitioner is responsible for initial inpatient and day hospital evaluations and pharmacological treatment planning. Nurses evaluate the patient's progress, assist with ongoing individual psychotherapy, training in relaxation techniques, educational lectures, and group therapy to address issues of grief and loss from chronic pain. Other members of the team include a social worker who specializes in group therapy for improving coping skills and interpersonal relationships as well as performing family therapy, a physical therapist, and an occupational therapist to expand rehabilitation into the patient's social network and physical environment with the goal to return to vocational activities.
