Our approach to pain management is a little bit different. Here at KindlyMD, we are not convinced that the best way to help patients manage chronic pain is to simply write a prescription. Chronic pain is a very personal thing that patients experience in different ways. As such, we prefer a comprehensive care approach.
There is nothing to be afraid of when you hear the term 'comprehensive care'. It doesn't automatically equate to costly medical bills and complicated procedures, along with a battery of tests that may or may not provide legitimate answers. Our approach to comprehensive care is about tailoring services to each patient based on individual need.
Tailored treatment plans give us the opportunity to look at a variety of therapies and treatment options without having to settle for what traditional medicine claims will always work. We have always believed in “meeting patients where they are.” Everyone has a unique set of circumstances surrounding their health, and we know that the most effective healthcare is personalized. Tailoring treatments allow us to meet each patient wherever they happen to be. When all is said and done, we ultimately want the patient to be in total control of how they are treated.
We do not shy away from the fact that the Utah Med Card is something we frequently recommend to chronic pain patients. A Med Card gives a patient access to plant-based medicines that are out of bounds otherwise. As it turns out, the number one complaint cited by individuals who apply for Med Cards is chronic pain.
One of the things that makes the Utah Med Card so important is that it gives chronic pain patients access to treatments that are far different from anything they have tried to date. And when a patient has been dealing with chronic pain for years with little to no relief, alternative treatments are almost always welcome. It has been our experience that long term chronic pain patients will try just about anything to get relief.
Plant-based medicines are alternatives to traditional medications. They are not the answer for every chronic pain patient, but they are amazingly effective for tens of thousands of them throughout Utah. Given the success rates the Beehive State has seen with plant-based medicines, we would be providing less than the best possible care by not offering them.
Comprehensive care for chronic pain management needs to include mental health services. Why? Because there is an undeniable link between chronic pain and conditions like depression and anxiety. A person suffering with long term chronic pain has a higher risk of being diagnosed with at least one mental health condition.
Truth be told, there is a relationship between what people think and how they feel, both physically and emotionally. We believe it is important to treat the physical and mental aspects of chronic pain together. Therefore, our comprehensive care approach to pain management is holistic in nature. Our goal is to treat the entire patient as a whole, not just address pain as a symptom.
The last component in our comprehensive care approach to pain management involves medications. Whether a patient takes traditional prescription drugs or alternative medications, their meds need to be managed. They need to be managed to account for changes in patient health and responsiveness.
Treating chronic pain effectively requires abandoning the one-size-fits-all approach in favor of a more comprehensive mindset. Chronic pain patients deserve no less. At KindlyMD, we take chronic pain seriously. We employ a comprehensive care approach fully supported by tailored treatment plans that account for each patient's individual needs and health concerns.
