Chronic Pain Management
The Chronic Pain Management Department at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco offers comprehensive pain management services for adults who experience chronic, benign pain and who have exhausted standard medical treatment options. The overarching goals of the program are improved pain control and function, reduced suffering, and enhanced quality of life. Program participants learn a variety of non-pharmacologic pain management skills including physical, psychological, and psychophysiological coping skills that improve functioning and quality of life.
Address
4141 Geary Blvd. Suite #212
San Francisco CA 94118
Hours
8 – 5:30 p.m. (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday)
8 – 5 p.m. (Wednesday and Friday)
Telephone
Front Desk: 415-833-4414
Chronic Pain Refill Line: 415-833-2622
French Campus Pharmacy: 415-833-3295
EasyFill (24-hour refill recorder): 415-833-3299
Hours: Monday-Friday 9-6 p.m. (closed on weekends and holidays)
* When closed, use the “Main Pharmacy” at 2238 Geary Blvd. After 10 p.m. and holidays, use “Inpatient Pharmacy” in the hospital at 2425 Geary Blvd.
Our Multidisciplinary Team
Chronic pain is a difficult and complex problem for which no one discipline has an adequate answer. A multidisciplinary approach, which combines the unique contributions of multiple disciplines has been found to be a more effective treatment for most people. Our staff is comprised of a multidisciplinary team which includes Medical Doctors, Psychologists, Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists & Acupuncturists, a Licensed Social Worker, and a Pharmacist.
How Do I Access Services?
Your primary care physician can refer you to the Chronic Pain Management Department. Once the referral is received, we’ll contact you and schedule you for our Chronic Pain Overview Class.
Treatment Services
The Chronic Pain Management Department provides consultation and multidisciplinary treatment of adult patients with chronic benign pain problems. Services within the Chronic Pain Department fall into five main categories – evaluation, medical intervention, behavioral and psychological therapies, physical reconditioning, and acupuncture.
Evaluation
Each patient receives a thorough evaluation by a physician, a physical therapist, and a health psychologist. Together, we create a treatment plan to meet the unique needs of each patient. An individual’s treatment plan might consist of any combination of the following treatment components:
Medical Intervention
Our physicians are trained and practiced in state-of-the-art medical therapy for chronic pain.
Behavioral and Psychological Therapies
Our behavioral team provides powerful and proven tools to enable patients to manage pain and improve quality of life. The program delivers these tools through several different groups at varying levels of intensity, individual and some family counseling, biofeedback, headache management, and an aftercare program for ongoing support.
Physical Reconditioning
Using both traditional and non-traditional approaches, physical therapists help chronic pain patients regain ease of movement, strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture/acupressure may be a recommended adjunct treatment to help patients achieve improved pain control enabling them to participate more actively in their lives.
What is Expected of Me?
We expect you to be an active participant in the treatment process and in establishing personal goals for yourself. Individuals should be motivated to take charge of managing their pain more independently with less interference in physical, vocational, and psychological functioning. You are expected to commit fully to all recommended aspects of the program.
