Those in healthcare looking to lower the utilization of high-cost medical services, as well as mitigate opioid use, might have an ally in physical therapists. According to a new analysis, patients who saw a physical therapist early for low back pain used fewer expensive services.
The strategy is one of many aimed at reducing utilization in healthcare, from home care and remote monitoring to better management of radiology. The new study on low back pain was published in Health Services Research.
Compared with patients who saw a physical therapist late or not at all, those who saw a physical therapist at the first point of care had an 89 percent lower probability of having an opioid prescription, a 28 percent lower probability of having any advanced imaging services, and a 15 percent lower probability of having an emergency department visit -- but a 19 percent higher probability of hospitalization.
The authors said a higher probability of hospitalization is not necessarily a bad outcome if physical therapists are appropriately referring patients to more specialized care when low back pain does not otherwise get resolved by addressing musculoskeletal causes first.
These patients also had significantly lower out-of-pocket costs, and costs appeared to shift away from outpatient and pharmacy toward provider settings.
"Given our findings in light of the national opioid crisis, state policymakers, insurers and providers may want to review current policies and reduce barriers to early and frequent access to physical therapists as well as to educate patients about the potential benefits of seeing a physical therapist first," said lead author Dr. Bianca Frogner of the University of Washington Center for Health Workforce Studies.
The authors said the findings underscore the importance of interprofessional collaboration, particularly when examining complex health issues.
Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com