Essentia Health’s spine care program offers back pain relief

[Essentia Health]

Story by Tara Ekren
Photos provided by Essentia Health

Quarantining during the coronavirus pandemic has been a chance for many people to work on home improvement projects, do some cleaning and organizing or tackle landscaping projects. And for some, that project may have left you with not only a sense of accomplishment, but nagging back or neck pain as well. As summer fades into fall, it may be time to pay attention to that pain if it isn’t going away.

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​The spine program at Essentia Health is designed to assess, diagnose and treat neck, mid or low back and sacroiliac joint pain. Ninety percent of people will see pain flare up in these areas at some point in their lifetime. ​

What is the spine program?

“Our spine program started about a year ago, and really should be the first step in dealing with your pain. Patients have the advantage of being seen by one of our experts who will address your specific situation,” explains the program’s medical director, Dr. Jason Kelly.

Harnessing experts in all areas of care for pain in the neck, back or sacroiliac joint, the program works to find the best course of treatment for your issue. The initial visit determines if the pain is best treated with rest and anti-inflammatory medicine at home or whether a visit to a chiropractor or physical therapist is needed. It can also be determined if advanced imaging or a surgical consult are needed. 

“Our end goal is to get you to the right place for the right care,” explains Dr. Kelly. The advantage to the program is patients have access to not just one expert who deals with back pain, but an entire team working to diagnose and treat the condition. This saves the patient the hassle of bouncing around. Our job is to guide them to the right place to address their concern. Our triage process will help get the patient answers as soon as possible.” Often the answer is an individualized plan that consists of therapy or various treatments, and not surgery.

Dr. Jason Kelly

Who makes up the spine program team?

The spine program works across many disciplines within Essentia Health. It combines experts in physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain medicine, interventional radiology, physical therapy, chiropractic, neurology and spine surgery. 

One of the unique features of the program is the nurse coordinator, who is the main contact point for patients, monitoring and helping you navigate your individual plan. Patients may see a variety of providers in just a few weeks. When a question arises, who is best to answer it? The nurse coordinator will take your call, listen to your question or concern and connect you with the best person to help. This will save patients time and energy and ensures continuity of care for patients. 

Your initial visit will be with an experienced and knowledgeable physician assistant or nurse practitioner Between these two providers, you’ll have the benefit of more than 20 years of experience in the spine care field. 

Who should use the spine program?

Anyone experiencing neck, mid or low back pain or sacroiliac joint pain is a candidate for the spine program. Whether it’s pain after shoveling the driveway or a chronic condition that just hasn’t been fixed, the spine program at Essentia Health can help.

The program’s goal is to have people evaluated initially by an expert in spine care and then guide them through the episode, instead of coming into the health system from a variety of entry points and going from department to department for care.

This new program may be the answer for those who have a chronic condition that hasn’t been remedied through other treatments.

Ready to see a spine care expert?

Ask your primary care provider for a referral to the spine program. 
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You can learn more about care at Essentia Health on our website, EssentiaHealth.org, or call 701-364-8900.

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