VICTORIA PAIN PROGRAM TEAM MEMBERS
Clerical Staff: Crystal Liimatta and Angie Kurtz
Dr. William John Davis, MD, FRCPC
Co-director Regional Pain Program, Victoria site
Dr. Davis is a qualified Anesthesiologist and Board Certified Specialist (USA) in Pain Management.
He graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa with a M.B.B.Ch in 1975 and received his specialty training in Anesthesiology and Pain Management at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
He obtained his Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 1992, Diploma from the American Board of Anesthesiology in 1993, Certification in the Subspecialty of Pain Medicine from the American Board of Anesthesiology in 1996 and recertification in January 2007.
He is also an appointed Clinical Instructor for the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anaesthesia.
Dr. Davis has privileges at both Victoria General Hospital and Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, British Columbia. He has worked since 1993 in a dual capacity as an anesthesiologist and specialist in pain management at the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA).
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Dr. Nelson Svorkdal, BSP, MD, FRCPC
Dr. Svorkdal is on staff with the Department of Anesthesia at the Royal Jubilee Hospital as well as with the Pain Program at the Victoria Site. Prior to moving to BC, he practiced for nine years as an interventional pain specialist at the Health Sciences Center in Winnipeg, MB.
His training includes Interventional Pain Fellowship, Sahlgren’s Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; FRCPC Anesthesia, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB; Rotating Internship, Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria, BC; MD and BSP, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK.
Dr. Svorkdal was one of the first practitioners in North America to develop programs and publish articles on the treatment of refractory angina using spinal cord stimulation. This is one of several areas of ongoing academic and clinical interest.
He is an active member of numerous organizations including: American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP), Canadian Neuromodulation Society, Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society, BC Anesthesiologists’ Society, College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC.
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Dr. Larry Kahn MBChB, B.Sc(Med), FRCPC, FFPMANZCA
Dr. Kahn is a Certified Independent Medical Examiner, American Board of Independent Medical Examiners and a Fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. Currently, he is a Staff Anesthesiologist at the Royal Jubilee Hospital, a Staff Pain Specialist with the Pain Program at RJH, and an Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Anesthesia, UBC.
Past appointments include:
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Medical Inspector, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
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Director, Hamilton Pain Management Centre, Hamilton, Ontario
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Director, Pain Service, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario
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Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
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Consultant Anesthesiologist, Department of Anaesthesia, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario
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Clinical and Research Fellow at the Royal North Shore Pain Management and Research Centre, University of Sydney, Australia.
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Dr. Laurence Bosley, MD, FRCPC
Psychiatrist, Regional Pain Program, Victoria site
Dr. Bosley graduated from the University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine in June 1992.
He completed his Psychiatry residency in June 2004 and his Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship in June 2005 at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
Since that time, he has held several professional positions in his field: Staff Psychiatrist at Riverview Psychiatric Hospital, Private Practice Addiction Medicine and Methadone Treatment in Vancouver, Native Health Clinic Physician, Staff Psychiatrist for Urgent and Short Term Assessment and Treatment Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA), and Staff Psychiatrist Victoria Mental Health Center VIHA.
He is currently the Director of Addiction Services for VIHA and will be working closely with Regional Pain Clinic teams.
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Dr. Michael Ross, MD
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Dr. Donna Buna, B Sc (Pharm), PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist
Dr. Buna graduated with her pharmacy degree in 1980 and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 1995. She has practiced in the areas of geriatrics, palliative care, neurology, general medicine, and psychiatry. Presently she is Coordinator of Pharmacy Education and Practice Residency, which involves organizing and executing the Pharmacy Residency program and pharmacy staff development. Her main clinical interest areas are geriatrics and pain management.
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Sharon Daly, RPT
physiotherapist
Sharon is a graduate from University of Toronto. She has worked in the field of outpatient orthopaedics for the past 25 years, and has experience in assessment and treatment of a wide variety of musculo-skeletal injuries and dysfunctions.
Her experience includes rehabilitation programs for the neurologically impaired, provision of education on back and neck care and the prevention of injuries, and pool therapy.
Sharon has attended several postgraduate courses relevant to her work, including orthopaedic symposiums, manual therapy and the study of movement impairment syndromes.
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Linda Cundiff, BScOT
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Linda has been working as an occupational therapist for twenty eight years; twenty years in mental health and the last eight years in physical medicine.
She will be working with the pain clinic team to provide a functional focus and improved quality of life and coping skills for clients.
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Marilyn Banfield, MSW
SOCIAL WORKER
Marilyn graduated from University of Toronto with a Masters degree in Social Work. She has been a professional social worker working in health care for the past 30 years.
During her time working with Vancouver Island Health Authority, she has worked for Queen Alexandra, Home and Community, coming to the Pain Program in 2009. Marilyn has a strong interest in the field of disability. She enjoys teaching in the Pain Education Self Management Program and running support groups at the Pain Program.
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Carolyn Degirolamo, RN, BsN
CLINICAL NURSE LEADER, VICTORIA SITE
Carolyn graduated from the Royal Jubilee Hospital School of Nursing. She completed her BsN from the University of Victoria in 1995.
For over 20 years, she has worked in medical and surgical cardiology, most extensively in the Cardiovascular Unit caring for post open heart and major vascular patients.
Carolyn has a BCIT critical care specialty and has completed the Canadian Nurses Association critical care certification. She joined the VIHA Interdisciplinary Pain Clinic in January 2007 as the Clinical Nurse Leader.
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Amelita Kelm, RN
STAFF NURSE
Amelita completed her nurse's training in 1989 at the College of New Caledonia in Prince George, B.C. She has worked in Washington, Hawaii, Texas, and Arizona in Medical Units, Labour and Delivery, Cardiac Telemetry, Intensive Care and Post Anesthetic Recovery Room. She completed her training and certification in Intensive Care in Yuma, Arizona.
Amelita has most recently been working in Arizona as a contract nurse and now resides in Victoria. She joined the VIHA staff in March 2006 and the Regional Pain Clinic in March 2007.
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Meika Johnson, RN
STAFF NURSE
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Carla Service, BScN, MPA, CHE
Program Manager
Carla Service is manager of VIHA Surgical Ambulatory Clinics and Regional Pain Program as well as Project Leader of Surgical Programs.
She completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, a Masters Degree in Public Administration at the University of Victoria, and a Certified Health Executive certificate program.
She developed the VIHA Regional Pain Program model and program in September 2006 with Medical Director Dr. Svorkdal, Co-Director Dr. Alan Berkman, and key stakeholders.
She is a member of the Provincial Pain Management Strategy Steering Committee and the chair of the Provincial Pain Management Strategy Website Working Group.
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Donna Gramigna RN, BSN, CPN(C)
Clinical Nurse Educator
Donna is the Clinical Nurse Educator for VIHA Surgical Ambulatory Clinics and the Regional Pain Program. She assists with the development and provision of patient and staff education, helps to develop policies and procedures, and safe practice guidelines, and assists with the development and maintenance of the Pain Program web site.
Donna graduated from nursing school in 1978, and received her BS in Nursing in 1988. She has worked and taught in diverse perioperative settings since 1979, including Maine, PEI, Bermuda, and BC. (There has to be an ocean nearby!)
Donna has been a certified laser nurse since 1990, and has maintained CNA certification in Perioperative Nursing since 2004. She is a past-President of the British Columbia Operating Room Nurses Group (now PRNABC), and is a member of the Canadian Pain Society and the Canadian Neuromodulation Society. She is the Acute Care Nursing representative on the UVIC Health & Wellness Advisory Committee.
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Clerical Staff: Heather Wilson and Lindsay Quin
Dr. Alan Berkman, BSc Hons, MB ChB, DA, FRCPC
Co-Director
Dr. Alan Berkman completed both his medical training and initial Anesthesia training in South Africa before moving to Canada in 1990. After a brief period in Saskatchewan he moved to BC to practice as a GP Anesthetist. In 1995 Dr. Berkman completed his Canadian Fellowship training in Anesthesia at UBC and went on to work at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital as an Anesthesiologist. Practicing as an Anesthesiologist he developed an interest in chronic pain management and in 1998 he joined the Nanaimo Pain Clinic.
Dr. Berkman is actively involved in educating medical students, residents, physicians, health care professionals, and the community on the management of chronic pain. He is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor for the UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics; Director of the Interventional Pain Clinic at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital; a Consultant Anesthesiologist for the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital; a Task Force Member of the Island Pain Program; a Task Force Member of the BC Provincial Pain Initiative Committee; a member of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP); a member of the Canadian Pain Society (CPS); a member of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA); and a member of the Canadian Anesthesiologists Society (CAS).
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Dr. James Stewart Lindsay, MD
RCPSC - Anesthesiology
M.D. - 1985 - UBC (Canada)
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Dr. Karl Muendel, MD
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Ceri Jakobsen
PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Ceri is a 2005 graduate of UBC with a BSc in Physiotherapy. She continues to be involved in post graduate courses, with manual therapy and Pilates exercise as the main areas of focus.
Ceri worked in private physiotherapy for seven years, treating a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries, both acute and chronic. Her work in the Pain Program is an addition to her private work. She sees patients both one-on-one and in group gym and pool classes at NRGH to help gradually develop safe exercise programs. Pilates movement principles, imagery, core stability, and posture are key components of the movement programs.
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Susan Schellinck, BSc.OT
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Susan is a graduate from UVic with a BSc in Biology, and from UBC with a BSc in Occupational Therapy. Prior to joining the Pain Program, she worked at NRGH for 10 years in both the acute and occupational rehabilitation settings. Susan also has extensive experience in the sporting world – as an athlete, coach and administrator. Combining these two passions, Susan now brings her functional skills to the VIHA Pain Program in Nanaimo.
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Jann Bolo, BSW RSW
SOCIAL WORKER
Jann graduated from the University of Victoria with a BSW in 2003. Prior to her employment with VIHA, she worked as a Probation Officer. She has been at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital as a social worker since 2007, primarily in the Emergency and ICU departments, and also in Community Mental Health and Addictions. She joined the Pain Program in the middle of 2010, and is looking forward to working closely with the outstanding team at the Nanaimo Pain Clinic to assist and support patients. She facilitates the Pain Support Group in Nanaimo.
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Joan Mackinnon, R.N.
Clinical Nurse Leader, Nanaimo
Joan graduated from the Vancouver General Hospital School of Nursing in 1986. She worked full time in paediatrics for 2 years, followed by 4 years in the float pool at NRGH.
In 1993, she obtained a postgraduate diploma in Post Anaesthesia Nursing and worked in that specialty until 1998 when she joined the “intervention only” pain clinic in Nanaimo.
Following 2 years of working with the intervention only clinic, which operated 2 days a week, Joan returned to PAR full-time where she worked until joining the new “Interventional/Interdisciplinary” Pain Clinic in May 2007.
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Judy Weme, RN
STAFF NURSE
Judy graduated in 1980 from Selkirk College in Castlegar, BC. In the past, Judy has worked at UBC in the Endoscopy Unit and on the Gastroenterology Ward, and did home care nursing in the Northwest Territories. Since moving to Nanaimo, Judy has worked in Endoscopy, Medicine, the Med/Surg Float Pool, and Telemetry and Cardiac Care before joining the Pain Program Team.
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Kathleen Laviolette, RN
STAFF NURSE
Kathleen graduated from the Royal Jubilee Hospital School of Nursing in 1975, and in 1980 completed a course in Advanced Clinical Concepts of Nursing. Over the years, she has worked in a variety of critical care settings in Alberta and BC.
Kathleen joined the VIHA Pain Program at the NRGH site in January 2008 as a staff nurse.
Dr. Barb Fehlau, Physician Consultant
Dr. Barb Fehlau is a Family Physician with extra training in various aspects of pain management. She went to Medical School at the University of Calgary and completed her Residency training at UBC. While in Residency she developed an interest in Palliative Care management, Addiction Medicine (including Methadone Maintenance Programs), and chronic pain management. She expanded her expertise to include various forms of acupuncture (TCM, Dynamic Active Acupuncture, GTT) and energy medicine approaches to complement her other knowledge of Pain management. In addition to running a full time Family Practice she is currently a GP Pain consultant with the Comox Valley Nursing Centre Team and continues consultations in her other areas of expertise.
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Dr. Carl Graves, Physician Consultant
Dr. Graves began his medical career in 1989 working in Family Practice for over 10 years. He developed an interest in chronic pain, mental health and HIV management in a primary care, solo practice setting in Vancouver. Since arriving in the Comox Valley in 2000 he has worked mainly in a mental health and hospital setting as a GP consultant in Psychiatry. He has continued to develop an interest in chronic pain issues as they relate to individuals suffering from mental health issues. This interest builds on prior skills of investigation and medication management of chronic pain syndromes.
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Saskia de la Houssaye, Physiotherapist (Rehab in Motion)
Saskia was born in Zeist, a beautiful community just southeast of Amsterdam. She graduated with a degree in physical therapy from Utrecht University in 1990. After practicing in the Netherlands for 2 years she re-located to British Columbia where she has provided services for the past 16 years. Saskia is well known in the community for her compassionate and skilled approach to treatment. She has a special interest in the study of pain and pain control and has completed several post-graduate courses in pain management.
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Vicki Alwyn-Smith, Kinesiologist
Vicki Alwyn-Smith graduated with a Sports Science degree from the University of Brighton in the UK. She returned to Canada in 1997 and has been practicing as a Kinesiologist since that time. Vicki has been working at Rehabilitation in Motion in the Comox Valley since 2001, and currently works in a Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Program as well as performing Functional Capacity Evaluations, providing disability management services and ergonomic assessments for local businesses in the community. She has been involved with educating and supporting individuals afflicted with chronic pain through the Super 7 program at the Comox Valley Nursing Centre since 2011. Vicki has been involved with instructing skiing to individuals with physical and learning disabilities at Mount Washington and has been involved with the local cycling club.
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Linda Hammel, Dietitian
Linda graduated from the University of Alberta with a BSc in Foods and Nutrition in 1979. In 1980 she completed a 1-year dietetic internship at Vancouver General Hospital. Linda has 19 years experience as the Dietitian/Manager of Foodservices at Yucalta Lodge in Campbell River. In 2007 she became the Clinical Dietitian at Yucalta Lodge, Sunshine Lodge, and Cumberland Lodge, as well as joining the Chronic Pain Management Team based at the Comox Valley Nursing Centre. Linda is committed to helping people maintain their health through knowledge about nutritious eating.
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Dave Corman, Pharmacist
Dave graduated from the University of British Columbia and completed a pharmacy residency program at Shaughnessy Hospital. After providing pharmaceutical care to the veterans of Shaughnessy Hospital, he accepted a position as pharmacist manager of the Cumberland Health Centre Pharmacy. Dave has an interest in geriatric pharmaceutical care and has worked with Home Support services to develop a medication program for seniors at home. More recently he has been an active member of a Chronic Pain Management team sponsored by the Comox Valley Nursing Centre. As a team member he organizes public and professional educational events and provides instruction to the public and professionals as well as individual consultation services.
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Brenda Bouttell, RN
Brenda graduated from John Abbott Community College, St Anne De Belleview, Quebec, with a diploma in Nursing in 1974 and in 1999 completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Victoria. She is a caring and dedicated nurse with over 33 years of experience in a variety of settings. In the last 14 years she has had the opportunity to work at the Comox Valley Nursing Center and has been actively involved in the development of services providing care to people living with chronic pain.
Coreen Cherry, MSW
Coreen has worked in a wide variety of social work positions around B.C. since graduating from the University of Victoria in 1986 with a degree in psychology and 1989 with a Masters of Social Work. She has worked as a mental health therapist with adults in the Comox Valley since 2004 when she received her graduate degree in clinical social work from the Memorial University of Newfoundland. Coreen's role on the Chronic Pain Management team will be to provide mental health assessments, consultations, and education.
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