Loading

Kathy Kirk, BS/RN
1225 Ferry Street, 1st Floor
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 373-1605
Office Cell: (503) 383-5217
Fax: (503) 378-5511
Email: kathy.m.kirk@state.or.us
Website: www.oregon.gov/OHA/OHPR/PMC/index.shtml

License(s)/Certificate(s) Held:

Areas of Specialty/Areas of Special Interest in Pain:

Patient Advocacy and Healthcare Provider Education

Professional Affiliations:

Description of Practice:

My previous experience includes work with chronic pain patients in VA, oncology and home infusion settings, including treatment of individuals with conditions like hemophilia and chronic degenerative diseases. I have also worked at the state level to develop reimbursement policy for medical and surgical services for Oregon Health Plan clients (OHP), including issues related to pain. Currently I serve as the coordinator for the Oregon Pain Management Commission. My work includes numerous activities. I staff commission meetings and oversee the OPMC's mission to improve pain management through education, research, policy development and model projects. I assist with commission representation on issues of pain management to the Governor and Oregon Legislature. I provided oversite of the commission's recommended revisions of pain-related curriculum for health care institutions. Recently I organized a Pain Awareness Education Event for healthcare providers and consumers in honor of Pain Awareness Month. Ongoing, I am serving as an OMPC representative on three state agency task forces; these task forces will address the following areas related to pain management: education about opioid use in the treatment of pain; policy development for reimbursement of chronic pain services for OHP clients; and prevention activities to avoid chronic pain development.