Welcome to the website of the East End Multidisciplinary Pain Management Program (EMP).  This website contains information of interest to health care practitioners and patients who
struggle with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). 

CNCP can occur as a result of disease, or the sequellae of physical trauma such as a work related injury or a motor vehicle accident. The presence of CNCP makes patients more likely to develop a co-morbid mood or anxiety disorder. Such patients are resistant to conservative treatment. In fact, the longer that appropriate treatment is delayed for such patients, the worse the prognosis becomes. The sooner treatment is provided to patients at risk for developing CNCP, the better the outcome will be. Currently, a multidisciplinary pain management program, as defined by the IASP, is the gold standard of care for patients with CNCP. The presence of a co-morbid psychiatric illness requires that such patients be assessed by a qualified psychiatrist who understands the interrelationship between pain, mood and anxiety. The sooner treatment is provided, the more likely it is that affected individuals will return to their pre-accident level of function.

The EMP is located within St. Joseph's Healthcare: Centre for Ambulatory Health Services in Hamilton, Ontario. The primary treatment goal of the EMP is to help patients with chronic pain increase their level of function in spite of the pain they experience. This is done through a comprehensive, functional activation program, based on cognitive behavioural concepts with a good grounding in rehabilitation, psychiatry and physical medicine.

Please review the information on this website.  These pages contain more detailed information about our treatment program.  There is a sample program schedule and a 'booklet' and 'pamphlet' that contain a description of the program that can be reviewed with family members or professional colleagues.

Click here to download a description of the programming available at the East End Multidisciplinary Pain Management Program (EMP)
Chronic pain is often associated with a major depression.  We can treat chronic pain with antidepressants.  Dr. Ennis has had many years of experience treating chronic pain and depression.  He is an expert in the use of opioids, or narcotics.  Antidepressants can help with the pain, but Dr. Ennis recognizes that it typically does not help with the chronic pain.  Dr. Ennis has struggled for many years with chronic pain.  Learning to cope with pain is the most important skill you can learn to manage your chronic pain.  Dr. Ennis has been written up in newspapers and journals.  Dr. Ennis has had multiple surgeries and serious illness that he has learned to cope with.  He he can do it, so can you.  Chronic pain does not have to end your enjoyment of life.  Dr. Ennis will teach you how to cope with chronic pain, and depression.  If necessary he will prescribe narcotics or opioids, or antidepressants.  
Click here to download a free pdf reader.  This is required for reading many of the documents on this website.  Most computers have this type of reader already.