MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (DC News Now) — Chronic pain is something many people across the country deal with.

The medical schools at Stanford University have launched an innovative pain management program that the WVU hospital system has adopted. It is a way to proactively manage symptoms of diabetes, arthritis, back pain and other auto-immune conditions.

Communication with medical specialists is key to helping manage chronic pain without having to personally see a doctor.

“Anybody that lies with chronic pain will identify that these are things that they go through and it’s such a positive way to provide people with the tools that they need to help themselves,” says Dr. Joy Buck of the WVU Hospital System.”

Participation in the program will help hospitals better manage the patients they are now treating with a surge in flu, RSV and COVID cases.