How do I become a patient at St. John’s Pain Clinic?
You will need to get a referral from your primary care provider, surgeon,
or specialist. Internal departments at St. John’s can also make
referrals, including oncology, physical/occupation therapy, or inpatient units.
Why do I need a referral from my provider if my insurance does not require
a referral?
We understand your time is very valuable. We evaluate the medical information
provided to us by your referring physician to ensure we are the best place
for you to receive treatment. We work in conjunction with your surgeon,
rheumatologist, oncologist, primary care provider, neurologist, etc. to
make sure we have all the necessary information before proceeding.
If you do not have a referral, we will have you come in for a consultation
(or a Telehealth visit via ZOOM) with our Nurse Practitioner to see if
we can meet your pain needs.
What types of insurance do you accept?
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, Medicare, First Choice of the Midwest,
United Healthcare, Cigna, and many more.
If paying by cash, the Patient Assistance Team has a price list available.
How am I going to get billed?
You will receive a bill from St. John’s Health as well as one from
the anesthesiologists, if seen by Dr. Domsky or Dr. Tomlinson on the day
of treatment. Most insurance companies pay a percentage of your visit
depending on deductible and copay. If paying cash, we do offer discounts
or payment plans, so contact our billing department prior to your first
visit to discuss. Learn more about
understanding your bill.
What can I expect at my first appointment?
If you are a new patient, we typically prefer you meet with our Nurse Practitioner
for a full consultation and assessment. The team will work with you to
determine the best individual plan of care. This may include medication
management, physical therapy, alternative treatments, psychological referral,
injections, and more. We attempt to provide a multimodal patient-centered
care approach where the patient is highly involved in the decision-making
process. Occasionally, your referring provider wants a specific treatment
plan, in which we work closely with him/her to oblige and follow-up with
patient progress.
What to bring to your first appointment?
Photo I.D.
health insurance card
insurance authorization (if required)
recent test results related to your condition (MRI/CT imaging)
list of your medications/allergies
list of any questions you may have regarding your care
Who will be involved in my care?
Brianna Morillon, our Pain Clinic scheduler and customer service coordinator,
will assist you in scheduling your consult (in person or Telehealth visit)
and/or your procedure here at St. John’s.
Sarah Flannery, RN, coordinates appointments, performs initial patient
assessment/vitals, gathers patient information, assists in all procedures,
and completes follow-up phone calls.
Our Nurse Practitioner performs initial patient consultation, physical
examination, gathers information at the consultation, decides and discusses
plan of care with the team, medication management, referrals, coordinates
patient treatment, and completes follow-up phone calls and visits.
Dr. Dave Tomlinson and
Dr. Marc Domsky are anesthesiologists who perform injections and interventions with and
without ultrasound or fluoroscopy (x-ray). They will review consultation
notes and treatment plans with our Nurse Practitioner to ensure optimal
patient outcomes.
St. John’s Pain Clinic will work with your referring provider and
medical care team to coordinate your care, and help improve your overall
quality of life.
What can I expect in my treatment plan?
We perform an initial consultation, and discuss as a team what the best
course of treatment is, on an individual basis. This can include injections,
Botox, medications, physical therapy, mental health/behavioral therapy,
wellness interventions, nutrition counseling, specialist referrals, or
alternative treatment options. We use a multi-modal approach to pain management.
We can usually get injections scheduled within 2 weeks, depending on how
long it takes to get pre-authorization from your insurance company.
Does St. John’s Pain Clinic have pain contracts for opiate medications?
Yes, if opiate medication is going to be prescribed for chronic pain management,
then we will enroll you in a pain contract. This will include regular
drug screens and visits as required by law and health system protocol.
We strive to limit opiate pain medication, and use as a last resort for
chronic pain management. We will use the lowest effective dose for treatment,
and ask that you exhaust all other measures first.
What can I expect for my procedure?
Most procedures are done with local anesthetic only, and you can eat and
drink normally. Prepare to be here for 1 hour if having an injection.
If procedures require moderate sedation, we will inform you ahead of time,
and ask that you not eat or drink 12 hours prior to the procedure.
If you take blood thinners, please let us know when you schedule your appointment.
We work with your provider to have you stop your blood thinners prior
to the injection, and for the least amount of time possible.
Most people can resume normal activity immediately following the injection.
Expect to have 1-2 hours numbness due to the local anesthetic used during
the procedure. Most times, there is also a steroid used in the injection,
which can have lasting effects, but typically does not ‘kick-in’
for 3-4 days.
