WellLink Health Alliance Convenes Healthcare Professionals to Discuss the Future of Pain Management

Healthcare professionals, clinicians, medical students and individuals with lived experience came together on July 17 for a powerful event focused on innovation and transformation in pain care. Hosted by WellLink Health Alliance’s Northeast Ohio Opioid Consortium, the “Future of Pain Management: Perspectives, Progress and Possibilities” roundtable underscored the urgent need for accessible, effective and person-centered pain management approaches, especially those that go beyond traditional opioid-based treatments.

The opioid crisis continues to devastate Ohio communities and remains one of the most significant public health challengers of our era. While the number of drug-related deaths in Cuyahoga County decreased in 2024 — 635 in 2023 down to 419, its lowest level since 2015 — communities continue to feel the terrible impact posed by addiction and overdose as more than 80,000 people died from drug related deaths across the U.S. in 2024.

The Northeast Ohio Opioid Consortium remains committed to working collaboratively to address the region’s opioid epidemic by sharing and implementing evidence-based practices, promoting policies, increasing prevention efforts, and presenting invaluable forums that present knowledge and solutions to the crisis.

The first session of the July 17 event, “The Future of Pain Management: Cutting-Edge, Non-Opioid Solutions”, presented by Dawn Harris, NP, MBA, senior medical science liaison at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, addressed the science of new non-opioid acute pain management approved in January by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Focusing on non-addictive pain relief, Harris underscored the need for treating pain without the risk of dependency. You can view the session here.

The morning continued with a second session, “Chronic Pain: Bridging Clinical Insight and Lived Experience,” a compelling panel discussion moderated by Rachael Sommer, consultant with the Northeast Ohio Opioid Consortium. The panel brought together some of the region’s most respected experts in psychiatry and addiction medicine, alongside individuals sharing personal experiences with chronic pain. You can view the session here.

Panelists included:

·       Jeff Janata, PhD, chief, Division of Psychology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Sihler Family Professor of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. Janata’s patient-centered approach, called biopsychosocial, focuses on understanding each patient’s individual experience with their disease and how they are adjusting to it.

·       Kevin J. Smith, chief, Veterans Addiction Recovery Center (VARC), VA Northeast Ohio Health Care System. Dr. Smith has served as the chief of VARC for more than 11 years. The VARC program provides high quality care for hundreds of patients each year who are diagnosed with alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder and gambling disorders.

·       David Streem, MD, FASAM, medical director, Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center, Cleveland Clinic. He is certified both in psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has been an Addiction Medicine diplomate of the American Board of Preventive Medicine since 2020.

The panel also included individuals with lived experience, who spoke candidly about navigating life with chronic pain, their interactions with healthcare providers and the shifting cultural and clinical attitudes around pain.

“This timely event demonstrated the power of bringing together clinical expertise and lived experience to discuss the future of pain management beyond addictive opioids,” said Jodi Mitchell, senior director of government relations & policy for WellLink. “By advancing innovation solutions, elevating patient voices and supporting collaborative systems of care, we are building the foundation for a future where relief is both effective and compassionate.”

The event featured networking opportunities and meaningful conversations, emphasizing the importance of bringing people together to collaboratively address community challenges.

To learn more about WellLink Health Alliance and the Northeast Ohio Opioid Consortium — including their April 2025 report on experiences of individuals using opioids to manage chronic pain — visit www.welllinkhealthalliance.com.

For more, explore the Opioid Consortium’s YouTube channel, watch the 2023 documentary Igniting Compassion, or view a photo album from the July 17 event on Facebook.