VA Puget Sound Health Care System – Pain Medicine

VA Puget Sound Health Care System – Pain Medicine

Our team

The Pain Medicine Service at VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) and VISN 20 Pain Medicine and Functional Restoration Center (CARF Certified) incudes UW faculty physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, UW Pain Medicine Fellows, clinical pharmacists, physical therapists, acupuncturists, pain psychologists, and social workers. Attending staff are members of anesthesiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, clinical pharmacy, and mental health, and all have advanced pain training beyond residency. 

Our services

Our highly experienced team provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary pain care including:

  • functional restoration
  • opioid reduction services
  • collaborative addiction
  • pain program services
  • interventional pain management strategies
  • pain psychology services
  • educational classes
  • telehealth services
  • electronic consultation services
  • provider education services (Primary Care Pain Management Mini-Residency Program and weekly SCAN-ECHO/UW TelePain Program in collaboration with UW and Department of Defense)
  • acupuncture and dry needling
  • meditation and mindfulness classes
  • physical therapy services

Experience with complex issues

Our team strives to combine both the biomedical and biopsychosocial approaches to pain care. Our team has experience managing complex issues like PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), depression and substance abuse along with chronic pain. 

In addition to chronic pain, attending pain providers treat and manage acute pain. Our team includes providers at our Seattle and American Lake locations. We also serve as a pain management and educational hub for the entire Veterans Integrated Service Network Number 20 (VISN 20) including Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington.