In recognition of National Pain Awareness Week from November 5th – 11th, we have the privilege of highlighting the continued effort and accomplishments of the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI). The collaborative partnership between the central TAPMI hub at Women’s College Hospital and five hospitals in the GTA has provided patient tailored chronic pain management since 2016. The effective management of the 5,700 referrals received annually requires an all-star interdisciplinary team comprised of physicians, physiotherapists, psychologists, pharmacists, social workers, occupational therapists, nurses, a clinical management team, and a research team.
TAPMI strives to not only provide quality treatment options, but to also enhance care, support patient access for equity seeking populations, optimize data collection, collaborate in multisite research ventures, develop multidisciplinary pain training, and foster pain leadership. The pelvic pain clinic, young adult clinic, sleep medicine clinic, and community mobile clinic are some examples of the specialized clinics developed by TAPMI to deliver care to underserved equity deserving populations. Self-management is fundamental to improving function when living with chronic pain. We have teamed up with experts across the country to develop the Power Over Pain Portal – a hub of chronic pain resources that are free and easy to navigate. Evidence based decision-making lays at the foundation of TAPMI’s clinical practice and as such, we are driving cutting-edge research and innovation that enhances our understanding of pain mechanisms and improves care. Together we have been awarded over $35M in research funding across our partnership.
TAPMI’s commitment to acting as a leader in provincial and federal chronic pain initiatives ensures that their impact extends far beyond the walls of Women’s College Hospital. Partnerships with programs such as Progress over Pain, Seamless Care Optimizing the Patient Experience (SCOPE), and Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) provide further support for marginalized communities and ensures that care is delivered seamlessly. TAPMI also aims to train the next generation of pain experts through collaborative training partnerships with academic programs such as the U of T anesthesiology, and pain medicine residency departments and allied health departments, as well as leading the Interfaculty Pain Curriculum (IPC). Each year TAPMI continues to improve chronic pain management with the hopes to one day eliminate the burden of this debilitating disease.
Check out our calendar of events for this week – all events are free, virtual and patient/community focused.