Pain management after Hurricane Katrina: outcomes of veterans enrolled in a New Orleans VA pain management program.
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.


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


METHODS
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.


METHODS
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.
Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, New Orleans, LA 70112-2715, USA. mpotash@tulane.edu
Mordecai N
MN
Potash
Jeffrey A
JA
West
Sheila
S
Corrigan
Megan D
MD
Keyes
D002908:Chronic Disease; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004189:Disaster Planning; D004190:Disasters; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055820:New Orleans; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D059408:Pain Management; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012066:Relief Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans