An Interview with Mike Walsh at the Alliance for Balanced Pain Management
 Mike Walsh, Executive Director, Alliance for Balanced Pain Management
1. What is your interest in the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance?The Alliance for Balanced Pain Management is a nonprofit coalition that works with advocates and stakeholders to improve access to comprehensive, patient-centered pain care. Engaging with OAAA allows us to jointly spotlight the needs of people living with osteoarthritis and to advocate for their access to optimal treatment.
2. What do you think is the most important issue today related to osteoarthritis?The health care system has slowly drifted toward focusing treatment around disease states rather than around individual patients. For people with osteoarthritis, in particular, advocates must drive a policy shift that empowers physicians and patients to make care decisions based on what’s best for each patient.
3. How does your work connect to issues in osteoarthritis?Pain is a symptom of many diseases, osteoarthritis included. The Alliance for Balanced Pain Management advocates, across disease states, for access to treatment that adequately treats pain while also minimizing risk to patients. We recognize that finding this balance is critical for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
4. What is a headline you’d like to see about osteoarthritis in five years?
Patient-Centered Approach Brings Relief, Hope to Osteoarthritis Patients
5. What is one interesting fact you’d like people to know about you?Each year we hold a national policy summit in Washington, DC. This year’s event will touch on patient-centered care for osteoarthritis and feature OAAA’s own Leigh Callahan. Register online to join us Dec. 4! |
