Local Doctor Helps Patients Find Relief From Chronic Pain

This Patch article is sponsored by Pennsylvania Pain and Spine Institute.

Pennsylvania Pain and Spine institute is a comprehensive minimally-invasive pain center with a focus on functional outcomes for its patients coping with any type of pain or pain-related condition. The practice has locations in Chalfont and Quakertown, Pa.

Patch had a chance to talk with Dr. Robert Kelly, president and founding physician at Pennsylvania Pain and Spine Institute.

Patch: How long have you been in the medical/healthcare field?

Kelly: I have been in the medical field for over 16 years, starting out in 2006.

Patch: What attracted you to the medical/healthcare field and how did you get started?

Kelly: I was always an athlete growing up, getting involved in many sports. I had suffered from some intense injuries, and did not want to go with any surgical options as they seemed too extreme for the care I needed. Realizing there were not a lot of optimal choices for a young person coping with pain from sports injuries, I became motivated to pursue a career in a related field in the future. I became interested in learning more about non-surgical options and other alternatives for pain treatment, and wanted to be in an advanced field that is constantly evolving to the levels of technology available and the needs of patients.

Patch: What kind of medicine/services do you or your organization/practice specialize in?

Kelly: Physiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, is the primary specialty with which our practice serves. Our providers have advanced accredited training in the subspecialty of pain medicine as well. This sets the practice distinctly apart from other pain management offices in the area in that our practice is the largest dedicated physiatry-based pain management center in the region.

Patch: How do you and your practice stay up-to-date with healthcare advancements?

Kelly: Our team is always looking for new procedures, technology, and techniques to better serve our patients. We have been involved with the direct trial and implementation of many novel therapeutic techniques, especially in back pain management and spinal health. In addition, I am an academic faculty member at local and regional medical schools allowing me the opportunity to be involved in new and upcoming research in pain management care.

Patch: What parts of your job do you find most challenging?

Kelly: A challenging, yet rewarding aspect of pain management is attesting to how emotional chronic pain can become in an individual's life. I try to get to know my patients and their family and friends well, because this allows me to gauge how well I am doing at managing the emotional functional aspects of my treatments. Coping with chronic pain is not an easy task for anyone, and as a physician you want to be able to get the patient back to who they were before their pain onset, so it can be a heavy task to live up to but is truly rewarding.

Patch: What’s your favorite thing about being a doctor/healthcare professional?

Kelly: The best part about what I do is when I get to see the progress and growth in my patients. When they’re able to accomplish functional lifestyles and engage in the hobbies and activities they truly enjoy, it is a reminder of why I do what I do. I recently went fishing with one of my patients, who prior to my treatments, was unable to enjoy the outdoor activities he used to. It was very rewarding when I got the invitation to see the end result and saw him happy doing what he loves!

Patch: How does your training, experience and specialties in your field distinguish you from others in your profession?

Kelly: My colleagues and I have a different approach to care in the sense that a great deal of time is spent examining and learning about our patients in order to determine the true pain generator(s) rather than simply reading a diagnosis from an x-ray or MRI report, or just ‘covering up’ the problem with a temporary solution. Our main goal is to treat our patients' pain at the source through minimally invasive treatments, and help them avoid major surgeries to get back to living the life they want. We pride ourselves on truly listening to patients and using our expertise to come up with the best treatment plan for them as an individual. I pride myself on keeping my patients out of the hospital or surgical settings and being able to provide many of the procedures done at these centers in an affordable and quality setting. For instance, some of the procedures done in our office carry little to no copayment or deductible expenses to our patients. The same exact procedures done at surgical centers or in the hospital can cost three to four times as much.

Patch: What does a typical day on the job look like for you?

Kelly: A typical day for me is a mixture of clinic care and procedural care.This includes providing treatments for current patients, as well as seeing new patients for evaluations and developing treatment plans.

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your practice?

Kelly: Readers can learn more about our team and our practice by visiting our website, our YouTube page, and following us on Instagram and Facebook. You can also learn more by signing up for our email list on our website.