"In all of us, there is a delicate balance of complex interdependent systems. Each system functions in combination with the others to ensure total health. Modern medicine has separated each of these into specialties to gain more specific knowledge about each system of the body. Scientists now realize that more attention must be spent on how these systems interact. To be completely effective, modern medicine must bring together the skills and knowledge from each specialty to contribute to a new understanding of our body."
--The Late John McMennell MD, Founding Chair, CIRPD
For a person with chronic pain, it is hard to tell where it hurts. Because chronic pain is such a personalized experience, it's hard to pinpoint the causes and even harder to diagnose. For a person with chronic pain, navigating the health care system can be a complicated, stressful and and frustrating experience. Often they go from one health care practitioner to another without ever relieving their pain.
Health professionals on the other hand are too often isolated in their discipline. Well-meaning professionals want to help but lack the research and resources to effectlvely do so. As a result, treatment suffers, pain is not improved and millions of dollars are lost in productivity.
For researchers, the frustration lies in translating their research findings into policy and practice. There are significant communication gaps between disciplines and professions. Reseachers have a wealth of knowledge but lack the communication networks to effectively share their evidence and ideas.
When you consider that one in four Candians suffers from chronic pain, you can understand the importance of building bridges of communication between patients, helath professionals and researchers. Millions of lives could be improved by establishing consistency in chronic pain diagnoses, treatment and care. Our aim is to be a mediator between researchers, health professionals and patients to improve communication about chronic pain, it's prevention, management and treatment. We are committed to improving patient outcomes.