Overview
Dr. Empey is fellowship trained in interventional pain medicine.He completed this training at the world famous Mayo Clinic.Dr Empey is a native to St. George, Utah and graduated from both Dixie High School and Dixie College. He then completed his Bachelors degree at the University of Utah in Biochemistry with honors. He was also an honor graduate of the George Washington University where he obtained his Medical Doctorate degree (MD). After medical school, he returned to the University of Utah to complete an internship in Internal Medicine and a medical residency in Anesthesiolgy. Lastly, he completed his training in Interventional Pain Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in both Scottsdale, Arizona and Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Empey has had the highest level of training available for a pain specialist and in addition to his expertise in interventional pain medicine, has had extensive training in medical management, physical medicine/physical therapy, cancer pain therapy, psychology and life style modification. He believes in a multidisiplinary approach to pain treatment. Dr. Empey has spent countless hours volunteering with the Boy Scouts of America, coaching youth sport teams and serving in his church.
Dr. Empey is highly rated in 8 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Chronic Pain, Giant Axonal Neuropathy, Wallerian Degeneration, and Pudendal Neuralgia.
Graduate Institution
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Insurance
Accepted insurance can change. Please verify directly with the provider.
Accepted insurance plans:
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- OTHER COMMERCIAL
- OTHER MEDICARE
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- PPO
- HMO
- INDEMNITY
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- POS
- PPO
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- OTHER MEDICARE
- POS
- PPO
- OTHER MEDICAID
- STATE MEDICAID
- HMO
- POS
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE SNP
- HMO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- EPO
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
Locations
617 E Riverside Dr Ste 301, Saint George, UT 84790
Desert Pain Specialists
Dr. Steven Larsen is a board-certified interventional pain specialist who initially decided to pursue a career in medicine after serving in the military, largely due to the transformative events he experienced during his time as a soldier. Dr. Larsen received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Oregon Health & Science University with the highest honors and was elected into both the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. He subsequently completed his Internship at Intermountain Medical Center. Afterward, he pursued specialist training at the University of Utah, where he completed a residency in Anesthesiology and a fellowship in Interventional Pain Medicine. During the course of his medical training, Dr. Larsen was involved with many volunteer programs and spearheaded the Ready, Set, Fit program bringing it into the Portland area public school curriculum. Dr. Larsen has also completed several research projects, including topics dealing with cervical spine surgery, diabetes management, nucleotide salvage pathway enzymes in cancer diagnosis, optimizing operating room utilization, and understanding opioid misuse potential and complications from intrathecal pain pump placement. Dr. Larsen was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he graduated from Taylorsville High School. Following high school, he spent two years abroad in South Korea doing missionary service. Soon after returning from Korea, Dr. Larsen enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he honorably and meritoriously completed several overseas assignments and combat tours. Upon completing his decade of military service, Dr. Larsen enrolled at Brigham Young University prior to medical school, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the Marriott School of Management.Dr. Larsen is passionate about helping patients improve their well-being. He believes in a multidisciplinary approach to pain management, optimizing nutrition, physical function, and mental health while incorporating medications and targeted procedures where appropriate. Dr. Larsen has a strong interest in regenerative medicine and in developing programs to enable patients to be more empowered in their health care. Dr. Larsen enjoys many activities, including mountain biking, trail running, baseball, gardening, and cooking. Most of all, he loves spending time with his wife and their three children.Dr. Larsen is excited to join the staff at Desert Pain Specialists and wants to help maintain it as the premier place to receive excellent care in the region. Dr. Larsen is highly rated in 7 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Pudendal Neuralgia, Wallerian Degeneration, Giant Axonal Neuropathy, and Femoral Nerve Dysfunction.
Desert Pain Specialists
Dr. Spencer Wells is a fellowship-trained interventional pain specialist. As a native of St. George, he returns to provide care for patients with chronic pain after completing his pain fellowship training at the University of Louisville. Dr. Wells attended Dixie High School and Dixie College and received his bachelor's in English from Southern Utah University.He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Louisville, where he also stayed on to complete his training in anesthesiology and is a board-certified anesthesiologist.Dr. Wells is married to Shana Burgess Wells, a native of St. George. They have four children. Dr. Wells enjoys spending time with his family in Pine Valley, swimming, and playing softball. Dr. Wells is highly rated in 8 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Chronic Pain, Sacroiliac Joint Disease, Cervical Spondylosis, and Femoral Nerve Dysfunction.
Southwest Spine And Pain Center
Jon Obray is a Pain Medicine provider in St George, Utah. Dr. Obray is highly rated in 2 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Sacroiliac Joint Disease, Cervical Spondylosis, Spinal Stenosis, and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Dr. Obray is currently accepting new patients.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dr. Joseph Empey
How do I make an appointment with Dr. Joseph Empey?
You can book an appointment with Dr. Joseph Empey by calling their office at 435-216-7000. MediFind provides direct contact information so you can schedule visits, second opinions, or consultations without navigating third-party calendars.
Is Dr. Joseph Empey a top-rated expert for Chronic Pain?
MediFind is an objective health platform that identifies experts based on real-world data. Dr. Joseph Empey is classified as an Distinguished expert for Chronic Pain, meaning they are among the top experts in the country for this condition. This ranking is based on their volume of patients, published research, and peer connections.
What conditions does Dr. Joseph Empey specialize in?
While Dr. Joseph Empey is a Pain Medicine, they have specific expertise in Chronic Pain, Giant Axonal Neuropathy, and Wallerian Degeneration. MediFind analyzes a doctor's articles and referral patterns to identify their specific areas of focus within Pain Medicine.
Does Dr. Joseph Empey accept my insurance?
Dr. Joseph Empey accepts most major insurance plans, including Aetna and Anthem BCBS. We recommend calling the office directly at 435-216-7000 to verify that your specific plan is currently accepted before your visit.
Areas of Expertise
MediFind evaluates expertise by pulling from factors such as number of articles a doctor has published in medical journals, participation in clinical trials, speaking at industry conferences, prescribing and referral patterns, and strength of connections with other experts in their field.
Learn more about MediFind’s expert tiers
- Distinguished
- Chronic PainDr. Empey isDistinguished. Learn about Chronic Pain.
- Advanced
- Cervical SpondylosisDr. Empey isAdvanced. Learn about Cervical Spondylosis.
- Femoral Nerve DysfunctionDr. Empey isAdvanced. Learn about Femoral Nerve Dysfunction.
- Giant Axonal NeuropathyDr. Empey isAdvanced. Learn about Giant Axonal Neuropathy.
- Pudendal NeuralgiaDr. Empey isAdvanced. Learn about Pudendal Neuralgia.
- Sacroiliac Joint DiseaseDr. Empey isAdvanced. Learn about Sacroiliac Joint Disease.
- Spinal StenosisDr. Empey isAdvanced. Learn about Spinal Stenosis.
- Experienced
- Complex Regional Pain SyndromeDr. Empey isExperienced. Learn about Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
- FibromyalgiaDr. Empey isExperienced. Learn about Fibromyalgia.
- Herniated DiskDr. Empey isExperienced. Learn about Herniated Disk.
- Invertebral Disc DiseaseDr. Empey isExperienced. Learn about Invertebral Disc Disease.
- NeuralgiaDr. Empey isExperienced. Learn about Neuralgia.
- Opioid Induced ConstipationDr. Empey isExperienced. Learn about Opioid Induced Constipation.



