St John of God Subiaco Hospital invests in expansion of pain service to meet growing community demand

13 Oct 2023

St John of God Subiaco Hospital Pain Specialist Dr Reza Feizerfan (front) with members of St John of God Subiaco Hopsital’s theatre team. 

The strategic service expansion will enhance patient access to effective pain care by doubling the number of interventional pain procedures currently performed at the hospital. 

The expansion has been facilitated by a capital upgrade of an operating theatre in the hospital’s Short Stay Unit, which was re-opened this week following a period of works. 

The upgraded operating theatre is now primarily dedicated to interventional pain procedures and has been fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, including a new operating table designed to allow superior imaging for proceduralists whilst ensuring patient comfort.

St John of God Subiaco hospital CEO Tina Chinery said chronic pain is a significant social and economic burden in the community, affecting approximately 3.4 million Australians, or an astounding one in five people.

“What some people don’t realise is the profound impact that chronic pain can have on peoples’ lives. In addition to impacting peoples’ relationships and their ability to undertake simple everyday activities, pain can affect sleep and mood, as well as earning capacity. In fact, 40 per cent of early retirement is due to chronic pain,” she said.

“Most sadly though is that suicidal behaviour is two to three times more likely to be demonstrated by people experiencing chronic pain. 

“By investing in the growth of our hospital’s pain service, we hope to better meet the health care needs of the community. We also hope this investment will improve the quality of our patients’ lives by providing them improved access to the timely care and intervention they require.”

St John of God Subiaco Hospital is the only private hospital in Western Australia with a pain service that operates seven days a week. This means that patients who require urgent pain management can be admitted to the hospital by their pain specialist for an interventional procedure or acute care on short notice. It also means inpatients can be easily referred to the pain service via their treating specialist, eliminating prolonged wait times and assisting in their comfort and recovery.

St John of God Subiaco Hospital is also the only private hospital in the state which employs a pain nurse practioner who works in an extended clinical nursing role and is qualified to request diagnostic investigations, prescribe medications and receive and make referrals. 

The hospital’s pain management team also comprises three highly skilled clinical pain nurses who provide patient education and assessment, and a team of surgical nurses who rotate through the procedural pain list. 

Additionally, the hospital benefits from the expertise of the largest cohort of accredited pain medicine specialists in WA, who are supported by highly experienced consultants with an interest in acute pain medicine.

Since its establishment in 2008, the hospital’s pain service has continuously evolved to align with best practices and latest regulatory standards. It now includes acute, interventional, chronic and complex pain management.

The primary aims of the hospital’s pain management service include best practice use of pain medications and pain management procedures, pain intensity reduction, enhanced physical functioning, improved sleep and mood, and the prevention of acute pain progressing to chronic pain.

Chronic pain is defined as constant daily pain which has been experienced for three months or more in the last six months. The most common types of chronic pain reported are osteoarthritis and back issues, followed by musculoskeletal problems, other arthritis conditions and cancer.

To celebrate the expansion of the hospital’s pain management service, a community education event on the topic of effective pain management options will be held Thursday 9 November, 5.00pm to 6.00pm, in the hospital’s auditorium. Presentations will be delivered by St John of God Subiaco Hospital Pain Specialist Dr Jenni Morgan and Dr Reza Feizerfan. 

To attend the event, please visit trybooking.com/CMGGK.

For more information about St John of God Subiaco Hospital's expanded pain service, visit sjog.org.au/SubiacoPain.