president's message

Measuring Progress in Pediatric Pain Management

By Sabine Kost-Byerly, MD
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, MD

The Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine has had an active second year as an organization dedicated to the advancement of practice of pediatric pain medicine. Our membership is growing; we now have 744 members. Our 2nd Annual Meeting, held in Phoenix, AZ was attended by 161 who enjoyed scientific and educational panel sessions, PBLDs (problem-based learning discussions), and several workshops. 

The 2015 winter and fall newsletters illustrated the use of two ultrasound guided regional anesthesia techniques and the role hypnosis can play in interdisciplinary pain management. It also provided a timely update on several initiatives (and SPPM members’ contributions) on the assessment, prevention, and treatment of prescription drug misuse. Finally, an exciting article introduced us to the world of 3D printing and its potential use in pain medicine, leaving us with the impression that the future is just around the corner. 

The upcoming SPPM 3rd Annual Meeting at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, CO on March 31, 2016 will offer a cornucopia of educational opportunities, from delving deep into the science of the neonatal pain experience to regional anesthesia for trauma and a holistic approach to pain management. In addition, and for the first time, SPPM will be able to offer a moderated poster session giving members a chance to present their newest research, engage in fruitful discussion, and receive helpful suggestions before submitting their manuscripts for review to a medical journal. 

Another much needed addition at our next meeting will be face-to-face committee meetings in addition to the usual SPPM Board meeting.  Please keep an eye out for the time and location of the SPPM committees when you are at The Broadmoor. Committee meetings are open to all members.  Come, join us, and be ready to get to work!

The Education Committee (Anjana Kundu, MBBS, MD – Chair; [email protected]) will begin planning for the 4th Annual Meeting in Austin, TX on March 2, 2017 (Stephen R. Hays, MD – Meeting Chair; [email protected]). The Communications Committee (M-Irfan Suleman, MD – Chair; [email protected]) will work on the summer newsletter and the content of the website, while the Research Committee (Sapna Kudchadkar, MD – Chair; [email protected]) will promote collaborative research projects. 

If you are unable to attend the next annual meeting but still would like to contribute please contact the appropriate chair.  I fully expect that other interest groups and committees will emerge over the next few years, based on members’ interests and needs. If you have suggestions I want to hear from you!

With the prudent stewardship of the last two meeting chairs, Drs. Petra Meier-Haran and Bob Wilder, and the SPPM Board, this young society has been able to remain on decent financial footing, thankfully avoiding the scenario of a teenager needing to go back to the parent (SPA) asking for more money! Nevertheless, I am most appreciative of ongoing SPA leadership support as we would not be able to independently offer a one-day meeting and other member benefits.  

The SPPM Board is very interested in reaching all practitioners committed to providing better care for children in pain, not just in operating rooms and pain clinics but also in emergency rooms and procedural locations.  Thus, we will collaborate more closely with the Society for Pediatric Sedation [SPS] (Dr. Trish Scherrer – President).  Expect reciprocal membership registration at meetings in the near future, a link on the website, and combined initiatives on advocacy as the need arises.  Please encourage all your pain practitioners to consider joining. We all get stronger TOGETHER.

Finally, I encourage all of you to actively participate and volunteer in SPPM, your society. Contact the committee chairs or me with any questions or suggestions you may have. How can the Society serve you better?

I wish all of you and your families a happy and peaceful New Year.

Sabine Kost-Byerly, M.D.
[email protected]