| Dr Whitworth: The only pain physician in Columbus to consistently be there for pain patients over the past decade. |
HISTORY OF PAIN MEDICINE IN
COLUMBUS INDIANA
COLUMBUS INDIANA
Pain medicine in Columbus Indiana began with
anesthesiologists at Columbus Regional Hospital
employing labor epidurals and intermittent blind
non-fluoroscopic guided injections for chronic pain control.
Several anesthesiologists participated over the years. In
1999 Dr Michael Whitworth joined this group and within a
few months was engaged in full time management of
chronic pain, the first full time pain physician in the city.
Later Dr Robertson joined Dr Whitworth in forming
Columbus Pain Physicians and performed procedures at
Columbus Regional Hospital and subsequently in the Pain
Center of Southern Indiana, a surgery center that was
ultimately pleurality owned by Dr Robertson. In 2002 Dr
Whitworth formed Advanced Pain Management Surgery
and expanded into Indianapolis in addition to having a pain
practice in Columbus. Dr Whitworth left the hospital based
group in 2003, and shortly thereafter, the Pain Center of
Southern Indiana closed and Columbus Pain Physicians
lasted a few months, then closed their doors forever. Dr
Robertson left the full time practice of pain and re-entered
the operating room as an anesthesiologist.
During this time Dr Whitworth continued to practice full time
pain medicine and expanded the practice to add a nurse
practitioner, Janet Smith, who has been with Dr Whitworth
since 2003. Dr Robertson later opened a practice of pain
medicine in Greensburg, then subsequently pulled out of
that location, closing down the practice in Greensburg and
started once again a pain practice in Columbus. Initially the
practice was not solely pain medicine and had other
aspects of medical care attached to the practice. He
currently has a pain practice in Columbus.
Comprehensive Spine and Pain Management was a part
of a group started by Kam Tiwari, MD from Bloomington IN.
They set up satellite clinics all over the state and had a
clinic in Columbus. There was a large number of
physicians and nurse practitioners over the past several
years employed by the clinic who came to Columbus, but
most left after a few years. Their practice has more recently
included Dr Ballangee who was recently stripped of his
medical license in Indiana, Dr Strausberg who was placed
on probation by the medical licensing board, and Dr Tiwari
himself who has agreed not to practice anywhere in the US
pending federal investigation and charges regarding his
activities. Comprehensive Spine and Pain Management
recently closed their offices in Columbus. Dr Strausberg
has recently opened an independent practice in Columbus
after having left the practice of Comprehensive Spine Pain
Management several months earlier.
Dr Whitworth and APM remain the only consistent pain
practice in the city over the past decade. Other doctors
come and go or will suddenly shut down their pain
practices, but APM was here yesterday and will be here
tomorrow.
anesthesiologists at Columbus Regional Hospital
employing labor epidurals and intermittent blind
non-fluoroscopic guided injections for chronic pain control.
Several anesthesiologists participated over the years. In
1999 Dr Michael Whitworth joined this group and within a
few months was engaged in full time management of
chronic pain, the first full time pain physician in the city.
Later Dr Robertson joined Dr Whitworth in forming
Columbus Pain Physicians and performed procedures at
Columbus Regional Hospital and subsequently in the Pain
Center of Southern Indiana, a surgery center that was
ultimately pleurality owned by Dr Robertson. In 2002 Dr
Whitworth formed Advanced Pain Management Surgery
and expanded into Indianapolis in addition to having a pain
practice in Columbus. Dr Whitworth left the hospital based
group in 2003, and shortly thereafter, the Pain Center of
Southern Indiana closed and Columbus Pain Physicians
lasted a few months, then closed their doors forever. Dr
Robertson left the full time practice of pain and re-entered
the operating room as an anesthesiologist.
During this time Dr Whitworth continued to practice full time
pain medicine and expanded the practice to add a nurse
practitioner, Janet Smith, who has been with Dr Whitworth
since 2003. Dr Robertson later opened a practice of pain
medicine in Greensburg, then subsequently pulled out of
that location, closing down the practice in Greensburg and
started once again a pain practice in Columbus. Initially the
practice was not solely pain medicine and had other
aspects of medical care attached to the practice. He
currently has a pain practice in Columbus.
Comprehensive Spine and Pain Management was a part
of a group started by Kam Tiwari, MD from Bloomington IN.
They set up satellite clinics all over the state and had a
clinic in Columbus. There was a large number of
physicians and nurse practitioners over the past several
years employed by the clinic who came to Columbus, but
most left after a few years. Their practice has more recently
included Dr Ballangee who was recently stripped of his
medical license in Indiana, Dr Strausberg who was placed
on probation by the medical licensing board, and Dr Tiwari
himself who has agreed not to practice anywhere in the US
pending federal investigation and charges regarding his
activities. Comprehensive Spine and Pain Management
recently closed their offices in Columbus. Dr Strausberg
has recently opened an independent practice in Columbus
after having left the practice of Comprehensive Spine Pain
Management several months earlier.
Dr Whitworth and APM remain the only consistent pain
practice in the city over the past decade. Other doctors
come and go or will suddenly shut down their pain
practices, but APM was here yesterday and will be here
tomorrow.