A referral is required for several reasons. The most important is to provide the evaluating pain management physician with all relevant history and data so that the consultation is productive and focused on the patient and his/her pain problem. The best way to obtain a referral to a pain management specialist is through your primary care physician.
Please prepare for your first pain management appointment by completing and bringing the following items to your first appointment:
- New Patient Intake Form (PDF) and the Medical History Checklist (PDF). Be sure to complete these required forms, your appointment may need to be rescheduled if either of them is missing.
- Your insurance card and two forms of photo ID
- All relevant past medical records including MRI, CT scans, bone scans and/or EMG reports (you need to bring both the films and written reports)
- Worker's compensation/auto insurance phone number, adjuster's name and mailing address
- Referral or prescription slip, if required by your insurance
- Physical/occupational/aquatic therapy discharge summaries
- Co-pay, if required by insurance
Your first appointment will consist of a thorough medical history and physical examination. You will be seen by a nurse, a physician assistant and the physician. The pain management physician performs a medical history, physical examination and reviews any test or X-ray results. This initial evaluation may take up to an hour, because a full and complete assessment is a key component in developing your customized treatment plan.
Please try to arrive 15 minutes early for your first pain management appointment, and call at least 24 hours in advance if you must cancel. If you are more than 15 minutes late for your appointment it may need to be rescheduled. Pain management appointments canceled less than 24 hours in advance will be considered a no-show and after 3 no-shows you will not be rescheduled.
Your first visit will include taking a medical history, physical examination and reviewing any test or X-ray results. Your physician will develop a customized pain treatment plan based on your individual assessment. Due to the length of this examination and assessment, and various other factors such as obtaining insurance authorizations, please do not expect medications or injections during your first visit.
In some cases, patients are treated on the first visit. However, most patients will be scheduled for their procedure after undergoing the appropriate preparation.
Depending on your circumstances, you will be advised of the need for someone to drive you home after your first appointment. It is our policy that every patient who has an invasive procedure must have a ride home. Many procedures performed can cause associated numbness, weakness, and/or loss of position sense, which can make the ability to operate an automobile difficult.
Many of the injections performed in our center include the use of a steroid medication. Cortisone is no longer used for these types of injections; another steroid called depo-medrol is the most commonly used.
If you receive an epidural injection or any other catheterization procedure, we usually recommend you take it easy and let your body be your guide. Recovery times may vary depending on your occupation. Discuss this with your physician.
Follow-Up Care
In general you should contact the office of the physician who prescribed the medication. Please note that opiate analgesic prescriptions are NEVER renewed over the telephone.
Einstein Pain Institute respects the integrity of your relationship with your physician and recognizes its value as a vital source of information and support in your pain management treatment plan. We work with your physician, keeping them updated on your care and follow-up plans as well as educating how pain management clinics work.
Additional Information
Einstein Pain Institute accepts most insurance plans. It is important to understand what your health insurance will pay for. Your insurer may have specific exclusions to some chronic pain therapies. Einstein Pain Institute will call your insurer to determine your coverage and any coverage limitations. We can also find out your co-pays.
No. Only qualified physicians in detoxification may perform treatment for narcotic substances.