Our Program

Patients treated at The East End Multidisciplinary Pain Management Program (EMP) are referred by physicians, the WSIB, insurance providers, rehabilitation counsellors, other allied health service providers, lawyers and paralegal counsellors. The program provides assessment to physicians and to other referring sources under section 24 of the S.A.B.S. (Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule).

Treatment recommendations are provided. Where appropriate, OCF-18/59 treatment plans are completed and submitted on behalf of patients. The EMP offers the following treatment programs:

1. Eleven week multidisciplinary pain management program. This program provides over 100 hours of treatment utilizing a cognitive behavioural approach in the management of chronic pain. The program meets the standards for evidence based treatment. It has a strong research component, having collected outcome data since its inception in 1998.
   
   
2. Individualized programs involving:
   
   
   1. Specialized physiotherapy. The program physiotherapist has been involved in the treatment of patients with chronic pain for over twelve years. This therapist uses modalities that are specific to the treatment of patients with chronic pain. These modalities include: acupuncture; biofeedback; and one-to-one cognitive behavioural therapy that is goal directed.
      
      
   2. Psychotherapy. The program social worker has many years of experience in outpatient psychiatry. Modalities of treatment include: IPT (Interpersonal Therapy); cognitive behavioural therapy; brief focussed goal directed therapy; family therapy; marital therapy; and grief counselling.
      
      
   3. Specialized occupational therapy. The program occupational therapist has many years of experience in the field of pain management. She is able to help patients implement the goals of functional reactivation in their homes and workplace. Where appropriate vocational re-entry goals are a central part of treatment.
      
      
   4. Nutritional counselling. The program nutritionist is available to provide patients with education and counselling in order to meet their nutritional goals. For many patients, chronic pain is often associated with negative changes in eating habits and body image, and medication induced weight gain that can further impair their ability to increase their level of function.
      
      
   5. Psychiatry. The program psychiatrist has subspecialty training in the treatment of patients with chronic pain. He is a member of The Canadian Pain Society Task Force that developed the national consensus statement and guidelines for the use of opioids in the treatment of non-cancer pain. Dr. Ennis can provide diagnostic, as well as pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment input for the management of patients with chronic pain. His work has been publicized in the media.
      

Please download a recent program schedule (found below) to gain a more detailed understanding of the pain program's group program.

General Information:

Group Program Schedule [pdf]

Additional Program Information [pdf]

Newsletters:

Volume 2 Number 1 [pdf]

Volume 1 Number 1 [pdf]