The Headache Center recently formed a clinical research department. Anne Britt was hired as a Clinical Research Coordinator. Anne received her Bachelor of Science degree in Healthcare Administration from Jackson State University, Jackson, MS, from which she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She is currently a candidate for a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration at Louisiana State University.
Other staff members include: Amanda Morgan, Office Manager; Kimberly Cyprian, Patient Educator; Heather Callon, Reception; Megan Lewis, Scheduling; and, Christa Joy Kin, Nursing Assistant. Ms. Treppendahl hopes to add two additional nurse practitioners to the staff in order to increase the number of patients seen per day.
The Headache Center specializes in all primary headache disorders as well as several secondary headache disorders, including Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, post-traumatic headache, and other secondary headache disorders. Although referrals are not required, patients have been referred by several hundred health care providers throughout the state of Mississippi.
The typical patient at the Center is an individual suffering with severe, disabling, or frequent headaches. Children may be seen at the Center, and the youngest patient is 3-years-old. Many of their patients have certain common comorbidities associated with their headaches, including( but not limited to) obesity, anxiety and / or depression, allergies, or asthma.
At the first appointment, the patients will be put at ease by the Center’ s calming, elegant aesthetics. New patients will undergo a comprehensive history and physical examination. Once a diagnosis is established, the patient will receive an intensive education program in the diagnosis and individualized medical treatment plan. The discussion will include medications to be prescribed, when and how to take the medications, potential side effects, adjunctive therapies and referrals( such as ophthalmology, physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback), and lifestyle modifications.
A typical day at the Center begins at 7:30am, which allows patients to avoid missing work. The center has the capacity to see up to 45 to 60 patients per day. The Center offers urgent treatment to established patients including: peripheral nerve blocks with a local anesthetic; sphenopalatine ganglion blocks; outpatient intravenous therapy; intramuscular( IM) and subcutaneous( SC) injections; and, Botox treatments. Allergy testing is offered at the Center since airborne allergies are often a comorbid condition.
In regards to a particular treatment philosophy, Ms. Treppendahl stated that she and the staff believe that“ patients want to be free of migraine and other headache disorders in order to live to their fullest potential and a common barrier is lack of education and access to the best treatment therapies currently available.” By filling that gap, patients are able to return to work and social life without experiencing anxiety about when the next attack will occur. She noted that:
“ All patients are treated with dignity and respect, and we truly understand that their condition is not‘ just in their head’. Headache research and awareness is sorely underfunded. Migraine is invisible and therefore, many friends, family members, and even providers, are very dismissive of the impact that primary headaches often have on the patient, and on society( with the indirect costs). The Headache Center is adamant about keeping a narcotic-free clinic and providing the highest quality of evidence-based medicine.”
32 HeadWise ® | Volume 6, Issue 1 • 2016