While not excluding neurologists, it was the goal of the NHF to look beyond this specialty for more headache specialists. The NHF’ s steering committee, which developed the exam, consisted of neurologists, other physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical psychologists – all with many years of experience in headache medicine.
By including headache specialists from various specialties of medicine and disciplines of healthcare, patients will have more specialists available to them. Treppendahl said headache patients are used to seeing their family doctor and that some patients may see a neurologist who specializes in something other than headache. CAQ acknowledges all who are qualified in headache medicine, neurologists and non-neurologists. Some health care practitioners, like Treppendahl, only focus on headache.
“ All I do, all day long, is headache. When I go home, I read about headache.” Treppendahl said.
To help headache patients locate headache specialists, CAQ recipients are all eligible to be added to“ Healthcare
Provider Finder,” on the NHF’ s website, www. headaches. org. Before CAQ was reinstated, the NHF’ s online database was limited to physicians.
J. Michael Jones, MPAS-C also focuses on headache. He has 34 years of experience in medical practice, most of which was spent in headache medicine. For 5 years, he was the owner, along with James Moren, MD, of Pacific Rim Headache Center, PLLC. The Center closed on December 31, 2015, because, according to the website,“ Health insurance companies, posturing for their participation in ACA, have slashed reimbursements for small practices( especially headache practices).”
Beyond recognizing physician assistants qualified in headache medicine, Jones is hopeful CAQ will help the process of insurance companies in recognizing the need of headache sufferers and those who manage for their headaches.
“ If we could ever get insurance companies to recognize that there are individuals who have more training and expertise in headache medicine, I hope they will eventually recognize us,” Jones said.“ The ones that we
24 HeadWise ® | Volume 6, Issue 1 • 2016