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922 - Case Report: Physiatry driven wellness program involving clinical pharmacy wellness consultation services for the treatment of lower back pain

Friday, February 28, 2025

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM MST

Presenting Author(s)

SA

Sophia A. Artamendi, BS

Medical Student
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Lauderhill, Florida, United States

Co-Author(s)

MM

Marissa Mauricio, PharmD

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
Baptist Health South Florida
Miami, Florida, United States
SB

Starlie C. Belnap, PhD

Manager Research Outcomes
Miami Neuroscience Institute
Miami, Florida, United States
RT

Ronald Tolchin, DO

Chair of Nonsurgical Spine Care and Rehabilitation, Kalman Bass Endowed Chair
Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute
Miami, Florida, United States

Case Diagnosis: Three patients presented to a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) spine center with varying forms of lower back pain (LBP), including lumbar radiculopathy, spondylosis with radiculopathy, and a history of herniated disc with a lumbar laminectomy with generalized fatigue. Each had a BMI greater than 30 which complicated their pain management.

Case Description: A physiatry driven holistic approach investigated incorporating a wellness p</span>harmacy consultant service (WPCS) to increase the effectiveness of medication management and lifestyle modifications to reduce pain, improve mobility, and generally enhance quality of life. Weight management, exercise plans, pain scores, mobility, and range of motion were monitored. All three patients utilized GLP-1 agents with successful weight loss of 10-20lbs and established consistent exercise programs. Pain scores decreased in 66% of patients; 100% of patients reported improved mobility. All reported a reduction in medication for pain management, one showed enhanced range of motion, one patient presented with improved blood pressure, and one patient reported feeling more energetic.

Discussions: This case series highlights the impact of a WPCS embedded within a functional medicine program at a PM&R spine center to treat LBP. All three patients reduced their body weight, experienced improved quality of life, and maintained consistent lifestyle modifications. Patients experienced less pain, reduced need for pain medications, improved mobility, and enhanced quality of life. This demonstrates the effectiveness of a team approach utilizing WPCS personalized care plans in promoting recovery and reducing dependence on pain medications.

Conclusions: The integration of pharmacist wellness consults into PM&R practices specializing in spine and LBP is a strategy that emphasizes comprehensive, patient-centered care. This case report serves to identify key wellness markers that should be monitored in future studies that will explore the role of a clinical pharmacist in overall patient wellness.