How Do I Keep My Employee From Becoming a Long Term Injury?
The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) reports that when workers are away from their job for over five days due to a back injury, 33-37% will have spine surgery. An increase in MRI imaging, spinal injections, surgery, and prescription drugs to treat low back pain has led to a massive increase in medical costs. In reality, a much smaller percentage of patients actually need these interventions.
- 1-2% of patients with low back pain will have a serious disorder and require surgery.
- 5-10% of patients with low back pain warrant further investigation by way of imaging.
- 90% of patients present with nonspecific low back pain and do best long-term with specific education and, in some cases, intervention with a physical therapist.
Stop Injury Now is focused on keeping your employees from entering into a black hole of medical costs, wasted time, and pain by ensuring they’re seeing the right clinician at the right time.
Early Intervention with Stop Injury Now- Consider Back Pain
Research suggests that 4 out of every 5 people have lower back pain at some point in their lives. Recently, the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that direct costs of treatment for low back pain in the United States are over $50 billion per year. This is more than half the amount spent yearly on cancer treatment.
Early intervention with a Stop Injury Now expert can save 50% in medical costs for back pain alone. Studies have shown that low back pain patients with a high likelihood of success (low risk patients, in Örebro terms) who receive physical therapy immediately after pain begins and adhere to their treatment plans spend $3,000 per year in associated health costs. Those who delayed receiving care and did not adhere to their treatment plans spent $6,000 a year, twice as much!
Assessment for Psychosocial Risk- Consider Low Back Pain
Imaging for low back pain that is not warranted can have detrimental results. Studies show that MRI scans for nontraumatic low back pain can lead to poorer health outcomes, greater disability, and work absenteeism due to the promotion of beliefs about damage and dysfunction.
Stop Injury Now incorporates the Örebro Screening Tool to identify low, medium, and high risk patients in a consistent manner. Once risk level is identified, appropriate treatment can take place, keeping your workers happy and healthy while saving time and money.
Easily Identify Who Needs Treatment and Who Doesn’t – Consider Shoulder Issues
40% of patients with shoulder disorders are still disabled 1 year after the pain or injury occurred.[1,2] 50% of patients with shoulder disorders are not considered “recovered” after 6 months.[1,2] Studies show that primary care management is more effective when paid with physical therapy and exercise.[3]
Consider these specific stats:
- At 12 weeks, twice as many patients who received primary care management PLUS physical therapy and exercise were considered “recovered” versus those who received primary care management alone.[3]
- It also took patients who received only primary care management 1 year to realize the same 12-week outcome as the patients who received primary care management PLUS physical therapy and exercise.[3]
With the Örebro screening tool, Stop Injury Now can quickly identify which patients are in need of physical therapy and additional care management and those who aren’t. 40% of patients with persistent musculoskeletal problems will resolve these issues with education alone. Stop Injury Now provides this education, helping you cut back on lost work days and unnecessary health care costs.
Empower Patients to Take Part in Their Own Recovery
Patients are often worried about why they are in pain and when and how they will get better. Patient-centered communication is critical in empowering patients to take an active role in their rehabilitation. Stop Injury Now clinicians are highly trained in this style of communication, empathy, and compassion.
Except in the case of acute low back pain issues, activity is highly recommended to facilitate a return to whole health. Movement, exercise, and manual therapy, along with addressing lifestyle factors, all contribute to successful outcomes. Stop Injury Now physical therapists are experts in guiding patients on the path to recovery and use only evidence-based interventions to get them better, faster.
