Pain Management Clinic Move

After more than two decades at the Jackson Medical Mall (JMM) , the curtains finally came down one last time on our Pain Management Clinic on April 22, 2026, as we finally relocated to Suite D in the UMMC Pavilion. It was a bittersweet moment for most of us who have considered this our workplace / home base for the past decade and a half. Most of us never thought this day would come.

Leading up to this, there were multiple false starts over the years when we were informed we could be moving in a matter of weeks to UMMC Grants Ferry location, Highland Colony Parkway in Madison, Belhaven building and even to the Methodist Rehab Center, only to be told it was not happening a few weeks later. Based on this historical perspective, it was a shock when we finally took actual steps towards this monumental move.

While our clinic at JMM lacked bells and whistles, windows to the outside world, or even “Pain clinic” signage, and was in a not so desirable location, we had plenty of space to spread out far enough away from campus, unaware of outside weather conditions as it literally functioned as a storm shelter for the city. As we reminisce about all the years spent at JMM, the faculty, nurses, clinic staff, patients and of course all the Pain Fellows who came through and all the laughs shared, it is hard not to be nostalgic. The convenient parking at the back of the clinic, coming in through the freight entrance and the back stairs away from the silent glares of patients if you strolled in a bit late, the everyday surprises when you opened the tap in the clinic breakroom to see what the water color was going to be that day (ranged from light brown to frankly muddy and foul smelling at times), sharing stories of attempted truck break-ins to actually stolen trucks by “turkey hunting gear” wearing thieves witnessed by the old, obese, wheezy security guards who could not possibly have given chase if their lives depended on it are all memories that defined our time in the Medical Mall. Despite all the flaws, we had all just gotten used to it and it was “our special space.”

So, when the move was finalized our staff grew increasingly whiny as we complained about the cramped quarters in our new location, the “terrible” parking for the staff who had to now park in the stadium and either make the trek across campus or wait for the shuttle to come around requiring them to show up 15 minutes earlier than they were used to, the lack of private offices for some or the worry that our “fellows room” that was previously well shielded from the patient areas to allow for the usual ribbing and venting about work was now going to be right in the middle of patient rooms.

The move itself was a logistical nightmare that was expertly shepherded by Genie, Kitra, and Kenya with the help of all our wonderful support staff making it relatively painless, at least for the physicians. We started seeing patients in our new Pavilion Suite D Clinic on April 27th and despite the expected bickering from all of us about the move, it has turned out to be positive in numerous ways. The staff still complain about the parking (not the physicians as we are right next door in Lot D), the lack of space and privacy, the humidity in the procedure suite and the potential to be swept up in a tornado as the site engineer assured us all that the entire Pavilion was a group of temporary shelters clumped together that stood no chance in really inclement weather. So, while we our personal property (cars and trucks) may be safer now, we ourselves may not be that lucky.

Now to the positives of the move. We are on the Main campus, can access our Anesthesia offices easily, staff have expanded lunch options relatively nearby, better water supply that is unlikely to kill or maim us and most importantly we are more visible to other clinics and departments which will hopefully expand collaboration and improve patient care and access to our incredible services. Meanwhile there are some rumors already that we may not be in this location too long but based on prior precedent doubt the next move will come in the next 20 years, by when most of us will be consigned to the pages of history of the UMMC Pain Clinic. Or maybe, a tornado is predicted to come through and take us all out sooner!