Whether you call them electronic medical records (EMRs) or electronic health records (EHRs), physicians were required by the U.S. government to implement an EMR system within their practice by 2014.  EHRs were meant to provide a higher level of patient safety and interconnectivity between physicians and hospitals.

Fast forward to 2017, and it is time for many physician practices and some hospitals to update to more robust EHRs, basically because the use of EHRs has out grown the initial capability of the software.

The MHSI team has been working behind the scenes for the last year to prepare a new EMR system that works better for patients, physicians and billing.  “We have targeted Monday, Aug. 28 as our ‘go live’ date,” explains Mary Martin, RN, clinical director at MHSI.  “Our patients will really like what this new EMR system can provide them.”

Coming up: Patients will need to input identification, insurance and health history into the new system. There will be several different ways to enter the information, including online and via an app.  “One important message we want our patients to know at in this stage of implementation is they should not be concerned, all previous medical records remain in-tact and appointments and surgeries will not be interrupted, ” says Ms. Martin.

Stay tuned…Over the summer the MHSI staff are training to use the new EMR. In August, complete instructions for patient’s use of the new system will be provided through newsletters and blogs like this and on the website as the ‘go-live” date gets closer.

Dr. Holly Gilmer joined her past patients and their families and answered questions about Chiari during the Conquer Chiari Walk Across American on September 17, 2016 at Stoney Creek Metropark. The Conquer Chiari Walk Across America is a series of local awareness and fundraising walks held the same day. The walk is about three miles.

Dr. Gilmer was thrilled to be the guest speaker for the Michigan Chiari-Conquer Chiari Walk, and has been for the last few years. Money raised goes to fund Chiari research, education and awareness programs. For more information about future walks and events, check out the Conquer Chiari Walk Across America website

To learn what Chiari Malformation is and how it’s treated, click here.

Updated January 2017:  Please note, that all procedures and visits are at the Meadowbrook Medical Center.

We are pleased to announce that beginning August 1, Michigan Head & Spine Institute is relocating its Novi physician offices only.

If you see your doctor in Novi for a regular office visit, starting on Monday, Aug. 1, you will now be seen at the Meadowbrook Medical Center instead of the Keystone Medical Center. However, if you are scheduled for a procedure in Novi, you should come to the Keystone Medical Center.

Meadowbrook Medical Center – Novi (Regular Office Visit ONLY)
25500 Meadowbrook Road (at W. 11 Mile Rd.)
Suite 250
Novi, MI 48375

Keystone Medical Center – Novi (Procedures ONLY)
46325 W. 12 Mile Road
Suite 150 ~ Please note the NEW suite number
Novi, MI 48377

To make an appointment at the new Meadowbrook office, please call 248-784-3667, these numbers have not changed. You can also request an appointment on our website.

It’s a pleasure to announce the addition of two highly respected physicians to MHSI’s medical staff. A big welcome to: Fredrick S. Junn, M.D., and Tejpaul S. Pannu, M.D. Their current office will become MHSI’s newest location at: 18181 Oakwood Boulevard, Suite 403, Dearborn, MI 48124. 

The statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are staggering. In the United States, 78 people die every day from an opioid overdose and 1.9 million people have a substance abuse disorder involving prescribed pain relievers, like oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone. In fact, since 1999, the number of deaths related to overdose of a prescribed opioid quadrupled.

What was once prescribed strictly for pain related to surgery, an injury, or the physical suffering that accompanies cancer has now become more commonly used for chronic aches and pain.

A doctor's responsibility

A study by the Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness found that half of all pain visits in 2000 were treated with a medication and roughly 11 percent of those prescriptions were for an opioid pain reliever. In 2010, while half were still being treated with medication, the number using opioids rose to 20 percent.

CNN recently produced a special on the topic of opioid abuse, calling it an epidemic and issued a call to action among doctors. They cite the CDC’s recommendation against doctors prescribing opioids for most chronic pain situations, or at least the lowest effective dosage, with the shortest amount of time which is usually a few days.

At the root of the problem are the drugs themselves. Opioids are highly addictive and the body has a tendency to become tolerant, leading the patient to need more and more of the drug in order to manage pain. The patient feels physically dependent and, even if they attempt to cut back on usage, the symptoms of withdrawal can be felt. According to CNN’s Sanjay Gupta, M.D., “80% of new heroin users start by using pain pills, which contain the same type of base ingredients.”

Patients seeing a physician for help managing pain often think that certain kinds of medications are the solution, but for all the reasons stated above, many providers are rightly discouraging the use of opioids for managing things like back pain, arthritis, and other chronic conditions.

What other options are available? Nerve blocks, specialty devices, like TENS units, non-narcotic medications, exercise, dietary changes, behavioral therapy. All should be explored to find relief from chronic pain. In some instances, the use of opioid pain relievers may be warranted but should be managed safely. Patients in search of safe and effective relief have options and, with the assistance of a conscientious physician, will find a non-addictive solution.

Share this article with those who may be using pain medications.