Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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FAQ: General Information

What is Advanced Pain Management’s treatment philosophy?
What happens when I meet with a medical provider at Advanced Pain Management?
What makes Advanced Pain Management unique for patients?
How can I request an appointment?
Where are you located?
What is your phone and fax number?
I received paperwork in the mail, do I bring it to my appointment?

FAQ: Nursing/Triage

After my procedure my injection site was sore, is that normal?
Should I use ice or heat for pain after a procedure?
I have a question about how I am feeling, how can I reach my medical provider?
I am going on vacation soon, how can I refill my medications before my trip?
I do not have an appointment for a few more days but I am out of medication, what can I do?

FAQ: Human Resources

How can I check on the status of my application?
I’m trying to submit my application online, but I get an error message. What should I do?
Where can I fax my resume?

FAQ: Preauthorization and Workers Compensation

Do I need a referral from my Primary Care Physician (PCP) to see you?
Do you accept my insurance?
Are the procedures you perform covered by my insurance?
I have a claim through Worker’s Compensation—do you accept these?
Why do I need to have a consult first before I receive treatment?

FAQ: Compliance

I have a question for the Compliance office, who do I contact?
I have a question about the privacy practices and the confidentiality of my medical records, who do I contact?

FAQ: Medical Records

I would like to request my medical records how do I do this?
How long does it take to process my Medical Records Request?
If I want to make a correction to my Medical Records, how to I accomplish this?
How long is my Authorization for Release of Information ( Medical Records ) valid?
I am going to see a new doctor, how will my new doctor get my medical records?

FAQ: Pain and Pain Management

What is interventional pain management?
Why should I see a pain management specialist?
What is pain? Does it feel the same for everyone?
What is the difference between acute and chronic pain?
How common is pain?
What are the most common problems that result in chronic pain?
How has pain management evolved? How far has the field come in recent years?
Are some people living with pain unnecessarily?

General Information

What is Advanced Pain Management’s treatment philosophy? Our pain management philosophy is to pin-point the source of pain, prescribe treatment options, optimize patient function and develop a long-term individualized treatment plan, if needed.

What happens when I meet with a medical provider at Advanced Pain Management?
When you meet with a medical provider at Advanced Pain Management, you can expect a lot of questions. Your doctor will ask you about your medical history and further questions like: where do you have pain? What does your pain feel like? Does your pain radiate? What does your pain interfere with? Does your pain affect daily activities like work or household chores? These and other questions will help our providers understand not only your pain, but how the pain affects your life. With this background of information, you and your provider can set appropriate goals and expectations and come up with an appropriate treatment plan.

What makes Advanced Pain Management unique for patients? Pain management facilities vary greatly in size, philosophy and treatment approaches. Advanced Pain Management focuses on three main principles: multidisciplinary practice, comprehensive treatment, dedicated team. We have a multidisciplinary practice; this means that our physicians are trained in a variety of fields with special expertise and work together and with your primary care physician to find the best treatment plan for you. Our pain practice is also comprehensive, which means we treat the whole person and find ways to improve your overall quality of life. In addition to interventional procedures and medication management to help reduce you pain, we help with lifestyle modification (losing weight, staying healthy, exercise), psychological therapies and complementary and alternative medicine (massage, acupuncture, etc.). Lastly, our pain providers are dedicated, meaning they focus exclusively on treating pain. This means our staff is very experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of painful conditions.

How can I request an appointment?
If you would like to request an appointment with one of our pain management specialists, you can submit an online request form here, or you can call us at 888-901-PAIN (7246) from 8:30am-5:00pm weekdays.

Where are you located?
Advanced Pain Management has more than 35 locations in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Check our online “Locations” tool where you can enter your city, county or zip code to find a location near you. Or you can call our toll free phone number at 888-901-PAIN (7246) to ask a representative.

What is your phone and fax number?
If you would like to get a hold of any member of our organization, call our toll free phone number 888-901-PAIN (7246). Our fax number for patient referrals is 877-598-6856.

I received paperwork in the mail; do I bring it to my appointment?
Yes! You will receive our ‘New Patient Packet’ in the mail which will ask you a number of questions to help us understand your medical history. Please fill out this form completely and bring it with you to your first appointment.

Nursing/Triage

After my procedure my injection site was sore, is that normal?
Yes, as long as you are not experiencing any redness, swelling , drainage at the site or fever. Should you experience these symptoms, call your doctor’s office.

Should I use ice or heat for pain after a procedure?
Ice for the first 48 hours (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off), then ice or heat.

I have a question about how I am feeling, how can I reach my medical provider?
You may call the office during business hours and the triage staff will assist you with your request. The staff will need to gather information from you and then contact your medical provider.

I am going on vacation soon, how can I refill my medications before my trip?
You may call the office during business hours and the triage staff will gather information from you along with medication name and contact your provider for further instructions.

I do not have an appointment for a few more days but I am out of medication, what can I do?
You may call the office during business hours and the triage staff will contact your provider for further instructions. The staff will need to gather information from you along with the medication you need.

Human Resources

How can I check on the status of my application?
Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications received, APM cannot provide updates on application status. The hiring manager will contact you should your application be a fit for the position.

I’m trying to submit my application online, but I get an error message. What should I do?
If you are unable to submit your application online, please email your resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Where can I fax my resume?
You can fax your resume to 414-325-4683.

Preauthorization and Workers Compensation

Do I need a referral from my Primary Care Physician (PCP) to see you?
If your insurance requires a referral on file, this should be in place prior to contacting Advanced Pain Management for an appointment. Contact your insurance to see if your PCP would need to obtain this referral for you.

Do you accept my insurance?
We are contracted with a vast number of insurance companies throughout the state of Wisconsin and Minnesota, however, it is best that you check with your insurance directly to make sure our practice participates within your policy and network.

Are the procedures you perform covered by my insurance?
Each insurance is different, but most of the procedures we perform are covered by most insurance companies. Medicare and Medicaid do cover almost all of the procedures our providers perform. Our Pre-Authorization Department is responsible for making sure that the procedures ordered by our providers will be covered under your policy. If the procedure would not be covered, you would be notified prior to the procedure being performed.

I have a claim through Worker’s Compensation—do you accept these?
Yes, but we do not accept litigated or denied claims. If your claim is “open and compensable” we will work with your Worker’s Compensation for treatment coverage. If you are a new patient, please be sure to have your claim information ready when you contact us so we can register you and have you seen sooner. We would need your adjuster’s contact information, the claim number and date of the injury.

Why do I need to have a consult first before I receive treatment?
While our providers may be able to offer you treatment on the first visit, please understand that some insurance carriers will require a prior authorization for the treatment. If your insurance requires an authorization, we will need to submit the consult notes to your insurance to provide them with the treatment plan and proposed procedure. If a procedure is performed without an authorization on file, the procedure would most likely not be covered, so we will submit the prior authorization on your behalf to prevent any unnecessary charges for you.

Compliance

I have a question for the Compliance office, who do I contact?
Dawn Krautkramer (414) 325-4600

I have a question about the privacy practices and the confidentiality of my medical records, who do I contact?
Rita Zehr (920) 452-4009

Medical Records

I would like to request my medical records how do I do this?
You can download the Release of Information Authorization from the website and Return to an APM office once completed. You can fax the completed form to medical Records at 414-325-4650, or you can call Medical Records department and we can mail/ fax you the Authorization.

How long does it take to process my Medical Records Request?
The average turnaround time is 7-10 business days, however we strive to complete as soon as possible.

If I want to make a correction to my Medical Records, how to I accomplish this?
Call the Medical Records department and ask for an Amendment Form. This form can be faxed, mailed or picked up. Once the form is returned to the Medical Records department completed. We can discuss any requested changes with the providers. When a decision is made whether or not to make a amendment to a record we will contact you, the patient and discuss.

How long is my Authorization for Release of Information (Medical Records) valid?
Each autorization to release medical records is good for 2 years.

I am going to see a new doctor, how will my new doctor get my medical records?
You as the patient can request your records ( with a signed authorization ) and bring them to your appointment or your doctors office can call and request them for Continuing Care.

Pain and Pain Management

What is interventional pain management?
Interventional pain management is a relatively new medical specialty that was designated in 2001. Before the establishment of pain management, patients were left with few options to help them relieve their pain. Pain management focuses on finding ways to reduce pain through a combination of minimally invasive diagnostic tests and procedures, medication management and alternative therapies (massage, acupuncture, etc.). Pain management providers work very closely with other medical professionals to provide lasting care.

Why should I see a pain management specialist?
A pain management specialist is a doctor who has gone to school specifically for pain management, much like a cardiologist or a neurosurgeon does specialty training. In most instances, pain management physicians have also completed a fellowship, or specialized training, in pain management. This means these individuals have more knowledge and training when it comes to painful conditions. Many pain management physicians also practice pain management full time, meaning each and every day they are helping people manage pain. As a result, these doctors gain experience and expertise in diagnosing and treating pain.

What is pain? Does it feel the same for everyone?
Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience often as a result of an actual or potential physical injury. When we experience pain, our nerves send a signal to our brain to alert the body that something is wrong. Not everyone however, feels pain equally. Some evidence suggests that age and even gender can affect an individual’s tolerance of pain.

What is the difference between acute and chronic pain?
Acute pain can be categorized as pain with a specific, identifiable cause, like an injury. Pain from an acute injury, like a slip or fall, should resolve itself in 2-4 weeks with the help of rest, ice, heat and a visit to your primary care physician. Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than 4 weeks. An acute injury can led to chronic pain, but sometimes, chronic pain does not have an identifiable cause. If your pain persists for 4-6 weeks you should see a pain management physician who can help pin-point the cause of your pain and work with you to find an appropriate treatment plan.

How common is pain?
The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that more than 76 million Americans suffer from pain; that is more than the total of diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. In addition, chronic pain is the leading cause of lost workdays, accounting for more than 50 million days each year. Back pain specifically affects 80% of Americans at some time in their lives.

What are the most common problems that result in pain?
Acute and chronic pain can result from many things, including an injury or a condition. Chronic pain can be caused by an acute injury that has not healed appropriately and it can also be caused by disease and degeneration of muscles or bones. Some common causes of pain are:

Back Pain
Neck Pain
Sciatica
Herniated Discs
Spinal Stenosis
Joint Pain
Headaches
Work and Sports Injury
Sacroiliac Pain

How has pain management evolved? How far has the field come in recent years?
In the past few years, the field of pain management has exploded because evidence based studies have shown the effectiveness of interventional procedures to help painful conditions. Before the field of pain management was recognized, if patients had pain for longer than a month or two, they were generally given medications to take daily and they sometimes had surgery to try to correct the problem. Now, interventional diagnostic tests can pin-point the source of pain and minimally invasive procedures can help eliminate pain. This means there are more options out there, other than just medication and surgery. Medication and surgery are still effective and important treatment options, but often times, interventional procedures are a great way to find the source of pain to make sure the patient is getting the best care possible.

Are some people living with pain unnecessarily?
Yes, there are many people who are living with pain unnecessarily. The main reason is that many people are not aware of the treatment options that are available to help them. People often think that pain will go away or that pain is a natural part of aging. The truth is, the sooner you see a pain management physician to help you diagnosis your pain, the sooner you will start to feel better and reduce the damage that you may be causing to your body. In addition, some patients have never heard of pain management or of the treatments that a pain management physician can offer. Pain management physicians like to work closely with family physicians to provide complete care for each patient, but you can often see a pain management physician without a referral.