Pain Management after Hurricane Katrina: Outcomes of Veterans Enrolled in a New Orleans VA Pain Management Program

  1. Mordecai N. Potash MD1,2,
  2. Jeffrey A. West PhD3,
  3. Sheila Corrigan PhD2,
  4. Megan D. Keyes PhD4

Article first published online: 26 JUL 2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2007.00331.x

Issue

Pain Medicine

Pain Medicine

Volume 10, Issue 3, pages 440–446, April 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Potash, M. N., West, J. A., Corrigan, S. and Keyes, M. D. (2009), Pain Management after Hurricane Katrina: Outcomes of Veterans Enrolled in a New Orleans VA Pain Management Program. Pain Medicine, 10: 440–446. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2007.00331.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, New Orleans, Louisiana;

  2. 2

    Southeast Louisiana Veteran Healthcare System, New Orleans, Louisiana;

  3. 3

    Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Memphis, Tennessee;

  4. 4

    Veterans Affairs Medical Center, St Louis, Missouri, USA

*Mordecai N. Potash, MD, Tulane SOM Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, TB 48, 1440 Canal Street, 10th Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112-2715, USA. Tel: 504-988-5405; Fax: 504-988-4270; E-mail: mpotash@tulane.edu.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 9 APR 2009
  2. Article first published online: 26 JUL 2007

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Keywords:

  • Hurricane Katrina;
  • Behavioral Medicine;
  • Chronic Pain;
  • Chronic Mental Illness;
  • Electronic Medical Record;
  • Disaster Planning;
  • Opioids

ABSTRACT

Objective.  To evaluate Hurricane Katrina’s impact on patients with pre-existing chronic pain.

Design.  Review of literature about Hurricane Katrina and chronic pain or pain management and a qualitative interview of all identified patients enrolled in a behavioral pain management program.

Setting.  Southeast Louisiana Veterans Healthcare System, Mental Health Service Line.

Subjects.  In total, 42 of the 53 (79%) veterans enrolled in a chronic pain program prior to Hurricane Katrina were able to be contacted and evaluated with interviews and a review of their available medical records.

Outcome Measures.  Major impediments and facilitative factors in delivering pain management services were identified.

Conclusions.  Health care planning for large-scale emergencies must take into the need for prompt continuation of pain management services in patients with chronic pre-existing pain. Coordination between emergency clinics and pain management specialists, as well as the availability of electronic medical records, is an important factor in continuing established pain management services after a regional disaster.

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