Comprehensive Pain Specialists Closure: What to Know After Pain Clinics Shut Down
One of Tennessee's largest pain management companies abruptly began closings its clinics doors across the state this month.
Comprehensive Pain Specialists, based in Brentwood, has shuttered at least 16 clinics in Tennessee and surrounding states.
The company has a total of 21 clinics in the state and 19 more in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and Ohio.
Two employees told The Tennessean this week that all of the company's clinics will be sold or shuttered by the end of the month.
Here are five things to know about the closures.
The pain clinic closures impact thousands of patients
CPS clinics treat 50,000 patients each month, according to Kaiser Health News. The clinics dispense opioids and other pain medications.
The company's closure may force patients to seek new sources of painkillers.
Experts fear some patients who are addicted to pain medications may turn to heroin.
CPS has provided no explanation for the closures
The company provided no advance notice to patients and issued no public statements saying why or when the closures are occurring.
The company has not responded to numerous calls and emails asking for comment from The Tennessean this week.
The pain management company's recent history of troubles
John Davis, former CPS CEO, was indicted in April on Medicare fraud charges.
Davis is accused of receiving $770,000 in kickbacks from CCC Medical, a Camden, Tenn., company that sold knee, wrist and back braces.
Davis, who has pleaded not guilty, accepted bribes from CCC Medical CEO Brenda Montgomery, according to federal court records.
Rural areas hit hardest in pain clinic chain closures
There are fewer options for patients to access pain medications in Tennessee's rural communities.
Patients may have to drive hundreds of miles to find another licensed pain management clinic, experts said.
And many of those clinics are already at capacity and not accepting new patients.
Family physicians in rural communities have grown reluctant to prescribe opioids as the state has tightened restrictions in response to a growing opioid addiction crisis in the state.
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