Congratulations to Michael P. Mangione, MD, who received the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) Chief of Staff’s Award for Clinical Excellence. In a letter presenting him with the award, Dr. Frank Brown of the VAPHS made glowing remarks about Dr. Mangione:
“Many of you know Dr. Mangione as the Chief of the Department of Anesthesiology. But this award today is not to recognize his administrative abilities but rather his contributions to the clinical care of patients at VA Pittsburgh. In that role, Dr. Mangione contributes to the assessment of perioperative risk for patients in the Impact Clinic and provides care for patients in the operating room. But more important perhaps are his contributions in the management of chronic pain. He personally and skillfully manages some of the most difficult chronic pain conditions such as complex regional pain syndrome.
In his role as consultant in the Pain Clinic, he provides valuable guidance to those of us providing care for patients with chronic pain syndromes and the often confounding issues of dependence on narcotic analgesics. He has been at the forefront of initiatives to promote safer use of opioids including provider education, use of opioid analgesic agreements, policies for drug testing and the use of naloxone rescue kits. He has expanded the availability of resources for nonpharmacologic treatment of chronic pain. Thus, he has championed safer, more effective management of chronic pain for patients at VA Pittsburgh and helped in the ongoing and often thankless efforts to combat prescription drug abuse and prevent opioid-related deaths.”