Voices Spotlight

In February, I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Benjamin Tallman, a licensed psychologist and the psychology program training director in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital. Dr. Tallman actively focuses on enhancing patients’ ability to manage their acute and/or chronic pain utilizing non-opioid, non-pharmacological methods. Our conversation is summarized below.

Bill and Lisa Bright lost their son Will to a heroin overdose when he was just 25 years old. The Brights describe their son as “kind, caring, a friend to all and a drug addict.”

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Steven M. Dellose. He discussed his acute pain management protocol for hip and knee replacement surgeries and the development of a new state of the art facility that would optimize the patient experience.

Over the past few years, we have learned a one size fits all approach is simply not sufficient when it comes to addressing the opioid epidemic. Voices of Hope is shouting this sentiment from the rooftops in Lexington, KY.

I recently spoke with Dr. Paul F. White, a consultant in the Department of Anesthesia at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. We discussed his long-standing commitment to optimal pain management, and how he has evolved from practicing medicine and conducting research as a pharmacologist/anesthesiologist to a pain management and clinical research consultant.

In a time when there is extreme uncertainty, a record number of opioid-related deaths, and a seemingly worse start to the new year than anyone could expect, it is easy to feel lost with little control. Historically, during times like these we come together as a society and forge a path forward. And, more often than not, we look to the next generation for support.