“Few things a doctor does are more important than relieving pain. . . pain is soul destroying.
No patient should have to endure intense pain unnecessarily.
The quality of mercy is essential to the practice of medicine here, of all places, it should not be strained.”
Marcia Angell
Damien Tavares, MD
Medical School
John A. Burns School of Medicine
University of Hawai’i
Internship
General Surgery
University of Hawai’i
Residency
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
University of California, Irvine
Fellowship
Pain Medicine
University of California, Irvine
Board Certifications
Interventional Pain
Pain Medicine
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Damien Tavares, MD was born in Hawai’i and raised in Wai’anae on the Island of O’ahu. He earned his medical degree from the University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Medicine. After medical school, he completed a General Surgery Internship at the University of Hawai’i where he received training from some of Hawai’i’s finest surgeons. Following internship, Dr. Tavares left Hawai’i for specialty training in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of California at Irvine where he was the recipient of the prestigious Dr. Jerome Tobis Award for Exemplary Performance. After residency, Dr. Tavares chose to further subspecialize in Pain Medicine and received ACGME accredited fellowship training through the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care at the University of California at Irvine.
Upon completion of his medical training in 2011, Dr. Tavares returned home and joined Tripler Army Medical Center’s Interdisciplinary Pain Management Team. After serving his country through the Department of Defense, Dr. Tavares entered private practice in 2013. He is the founder and owner of Hawaii Pain Center and holds medical staff privileges at The Queen’s Medical Center.
Dr. Tavares is triple board certified. He is ABMS double board certified in Pain Medicine and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. The ABMS is the gold standard for assessing a physician’s competency and scope of practice by regulatory bodies, insurance companies, and hospitals. His third board certification is in Interventional Pain through the American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians (ABIPP) which involved a rigorous examination process. There are fewer than 300 certified physicians by ABIPP worldwide. Dr. Tavares is the only ABIPP certified pain specialist in Hawai’i.
“The human body experiences a powerful gravitational pull in the direction of hope. That is why the patient’s hopes are the physician’s secret weapon. They are the hidden ingredients in any prescription.”
Norman Cousins
SYMPTOMS TREATED
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- Abdominal Pain
- Arm Pain
- Back Pain
- Chest Wall Pain
- Foot Pain
- Hand Pain
- Headache
- Joint Pain
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- Leg Pain
- Muscle Pain
- Neck Pain
- Nerve Pain
- Pelvic Pain
- Sciatica
- Tailbone Pain
CONDITIONS TREATED
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- Arthritis
- Bursitis
- Coccydynia
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Disc Herniation
- Facet Arthropathy
- Migraine Headache
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- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Neuropathy
- Occipital Neuralgia
- Postlaminectomy Syndrome
- Radiculopathy
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spondylosis
- Vertebral Compression Fracture
To deliver the highest level of care to his patients, Dr. Tavares limits his practice to 60 patients per week. His goal is to ascertain an accurate diagnosis for each patient and provide the best non-opioid treatment options.
PROCEDURES
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- Botox Injections
- Bursa Injections
- Epidural Injections
- Discography
- Joint Injections
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- Nerve Blocks
- Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
- Radiofrequency Ablation/Neurolysis
- Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Sympathetic Blocks
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- Trigger Point Injections
- Vertebral Augmentation/Kyphoplasty
- VIA Disc Allograft
- Viscosupplementation Injections
All procedures, except for surgical implants, are conveniently performed in the office. This significantly reduces the healthcare costs for our patients and their insurers by eliminating the facility fee associated with the same procedures performed in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital. Most procedures are performed under x-ray or ultrasound guidance increasing its efficacy and safety. Our patients are also given the option for IV conscious sedation to minimize the anxiety and discomfort of their procedures.
“The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.”
William Osler
TESTIMONIALS
Procedure Forms
Frequently Asked Questions
As a specialty clinic, all patients require a referral from another healthcare provider. Medical records are reviewed before scheduling to ensure the best treatment outcome.
We are not accepting new patients that require opioid medication.
- For new patients, we accept VA, Tricare, Hawaii Laborers, HMA, HMAA, Aetna, and Deseret Mutual.
- We no longer accept new patients with HMSA (all plans), BCBS, United Healthcare, MDX, Humana, Cigna, UHA, Medicare, Medicaid, AlohaCare, Ohana/WellCare, Worker’s Compensation, and personal injury such as motor vehicle accidents.
Your insurance is likely not accepted for one or more of the following reasons:
1. Difficulty obtaining authorization for care.
2. Difficulty or delays in receiving payment for services rendered.
3. Reimbursement rates below the cost to deliver care.
Yes. However, self/private pay patients undergo the same referral and review process as insured patients.
We accept cash and credit card (Visa and Mastercard) payments. Credit transactions are assessed a 4% fee. When applicable, a 4.712% General Excise Tax will be applied.
- Insurance card
- Government issued identification
- Pertinent imaging on CD
- Pertinent medical records
There is ample street and structure parking. Handicap parking is conveniently located in the basement of the building. Parking in the structure is $1 for every 30 minutes which can be paid by cash or credit card. There is a 15-minute grace period in the parking structure. We do not validate.
Where To Find Us
The office is located in the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Medical Pavilion. It is the building closest to Liliha Street on the campus of the St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii.
Honolulu, HI 96817