Interventional Pain Physician

Job Description

Job Description

The Interventional Pain Physician is responsible for evaluating, diagnosing, and treating patients suffering from complex, chronic, or acute pain conditions (e.g., degenerative disc disease, sciatica, arthritis, migraines, and cancer-related pain). The primary objective is to enhance the patient's functional mobility, reduce dependency on opioid medications, and significantly improve their overall quality of life.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Clinical Evaluation & Diagnosis

• Conduct comprehensive medical histories and targeted physical and neurological examinations.
• Review, order, and interpret advanced diagnostic imaging (X-rays, MRIs, CT scans) and electrodiagnostic studies (EMG/NCS) to locate precise "pain generators."
• Formulate individualized, evidence-based, multimodal treatment plans for short- and long-term care.

2. Interventional Procedures

Perform a high volume of advanced, minimally invasive procedures, usually under fluoroscopic (X-ray) or ultrasound guidance, including but not limited to:

• Epidural Steroid Injections (ESIs): Caudal, interlaminar, and transforaminal.
• Nerve Blocks: Facet joint injections, medial branch blocks, and sympathetic nerve blocks.
• Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): Thermally interrupting pain signals from arthritic joints.
• Advanced Neuromodulation: Conducting trials and permanent implants for Spinal Cord Stimulators (SCS) and Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) stimulators.
• Joint & Soft Tissue Injections: Large joint injections (hip, knee, shoulder) and trigger point injections.

3. Comprehensive & Multimodal Care

• Prescribe non-opioid medications, managing pharmacotherapy with an emphasis on reducing overall narcotic usage.
• Oversee organizational compliance regarding opioid risk assessment, toxicology screening, and state prescription monitoring programs.
• Coordinate care with a multidisciplinary network, including physical therapists, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, and pain psychologists.

4. Leadership & Administration

• Provide clinical supervision and collaborative oversight for Advanced Practice Providers (NPs and PAs).
• Direct and coordinate the patient care activities of nursing and medical support staff in the clinic and procedure suite.
• Maintain precise, timely electronic health records (EHR) to facilitate accurate billing, coding, and regulatory compliance.

Position Requirements & Qualifications:

Education & Training

• Degree: Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) from an accredited institution.
• Residency: Successful completion of an ACGME-accredited residency program, typically in Anesthesiology or Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM Neurology or Psychiatry are also eligible paths.
• Fellowship: Completion of an ACGME-accredited, one-year subspecialty Fellowship in Pain Medicine.

Licensure & Certification:

• Board certification (or board eligibility) in the primary specialty and subspecialty Board Certification in Pain Medicine (via ABA, ABMS, or ABPM).
• Active, unrestricted state medical license.
• Active DEA license with state-appropriate prescriptive authority.

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination for performing precise needle placements under image guidance.
• Strong critical thinking skills to manage ambiguous, treatment-resistant pain cases.
• Compassionate bedside manner with top-tier interpersonal communication skills to manage patient expectations regarding chronic conditions