Leading Pain Organization Changes Name, Brings Alternative Solutions to Complex Pain Challenges

On May 16, 2016, the membership of the American Academy of Pain Management voted to change the organization’s name to the Academy of Integrative Pain Management. For the last 28 years, the Academy was the only national professional organization dedicated to advancing the integrative pain care approaches that now define “best practice” in the National Pain Strategy published by NIH.

“Our mission and our name are finally aligned!” announced board president Joanna Katzman, MD, MSPH. Dr. Katzman is an associate professor of neurology, director of the University of New Mexico Pain Center, and co-director of the acclaimed UNM Project ECHO Chronic Pain Program. “The board recommended this change because we want all healthcare professionals who treat people with pain to know our organization is where to learn about effective, safe, and sane approaches to pain management.”

I have been a proud member of the American Academy of Pain Management for those 28 years, in fact I was the first credentialed member outside the original founding board. I have had the honor to serve on many committees, but also served on the Board of Advisors, Board of Directors, and then as Board President in 2000-2001. I think the membership got it right under the leadership of

Executive Director Robert Twillman, PhD, and I believe that my dear friend Richard Weiner, PhD, the founder of the AAPM, who was at the forefront of the interdisciplinary pain care concept would be very proud of the direction that Academy is moving in. It is too bad he cannot be with us to applaud Dr. Twillman’s efforts. I know he is smiling down on us. Congratulations to the Board of Directors and thousands of members of the NEW Academy of Integrative Pain Management!