Thomas E. Buchheit, MD
Pain Medicine Specialist
My Locations
About Me
I’ve practiced interventional pain and musculoskeletal medicine for the past 20 years, and re-joined Duke in 2010 to build a program that sheds new light onto the treatments for nerve and arthritis pain. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with many talented clinicians and researchers in the United States and Europe, allowing us to build a program in the Center for Translational Pain Medicine that moves beyond traditional pain medications and avoids many of their risks and complications. Our treatments center around the application of regenerative therapies that promote the active resolution of inflammation and pain for several arthritic conditions. I find it extremely rewarding to watch patients progress during their treatment course and meet their goals. I’m currently the Division Chief for Pain Medicine, a member of Duke’s Center for Translational Pain Medicine, Director of Regenerative Pain Therapies, and serve on the Editorial Board of Pain Medicine.
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Ratings and Reviews
The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Learn more about our survey process. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
Clinical Focus and Research
My research and clinical focus is on the mechanisms that drive pain in arthritis and degenerative conditions. Our team has spent years investigating the inflammatory mechanisms that lead to chronic pain after injury. This research has led to the development of our regenerative pain therapies program. Studying the body’s response to injury, we’ve been able to move beyond opioids, steroids, and anti-inflammatory medications to develop effective, biologically-based treatments, particularly in the treatment of non-surgical arthritis.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance providers. At Duke Innovative Pain Therapies at Brier Creek, all services may not be covered. Please contact Duke Innovative Pain Therapies at Brier Creek at 919-660-9000 to confirm that we accept your insurance plan, and what (if any) co-payments, co-insurances and deductibles will be your responsibility. For services at other locations, please call your insurance company to confirm your access to health care services.
External Relationships
- Bull Publishing
- Mainstay Medical
- North Carolina Medical Board