A multidisciplinary spine intervention can reduce chronic back pain–related health care utilization and costs, according to a study published in Spine.
A multidisciplinary spine intervention can reduce chronic back pain (CBP)–related health care utilization and costs, according to a study published in Spine.
Worldwide, CBP is responsible for the largest number of years lived with disability and has tremendous costs, highlighting a need for interventions that will reduce the economic burden on patients and society.
The researchers examined changes in health care costs after patients with complex CBP received multidisciplinary spine care at The Groningen Spine Center (GSC) in the Netherlands. They used a before and after study design to compare health care costs 2 years before and 2 years after the intervention.
During the first visit, 2 to 4 specialists with different focus areas assessed the complaints to identify the best treatment modality and all patients received information and advice to cope. Patients who had multifactorial CBP were offered primary care treatment, such as physiotherapy or exercise or posture therapy, or outpatient interdisciplinary rehabilitation. Patients with specific CBP based on herniated disks or stenosis were offered surgery. Patients with segmental root problems were provided anesthesiology. When indicated, some patients received a combination of the interventions.
A total of 997 patients were included in the study. They received the intervention for a mean of 201 days; 546 patients received information and explanation, 203 patients followed interdisciplinary rehabilitation, 67 underwent surgery, 141 received medication or injections, and 37 received a combination intervention. There was missing information for 3 patients, and the intervention they received was not retrieved.
Health care costs related to CBP rose before the intervention and were highest during the patients' treatment at GSC but decreased in the 2 years following, to a level below the costs 1 year before the intervention. “The majority of the reduction in CBP-related health care costs appeared to be due to a reduction in medical specialist care and allied care consumption (P < .01),” the authors wrote.
In general, treatment was associated with a 34% (P < .01) reduction in CBP-related health care costs when comparing patients 1 and 2 years before the intervention with patients 1 and 2 years after the intervention. Controlling for biases found a smaller, but still significant reduction in costs. Patients with a higher baseline body mass index and female sex had a smaller reduction in CBP-related health care costs. In the adjusted sample, costs were reduced 21% (P < .01) in the 2 years after intervention compared with the 2 years before.
“This study provides complimentary evidence that multidisciplinary spine care could be cost-saving from an insurers’ perspective, whereas we found no differences between intervention types,” the authors wrote. “The results complement and point in the same direction as controlled studies, adding to the robustness of the observation that this type of care is beneficial from a health economic perspective.”
Reference
Soer R, Reneman MF, Mierau JO, et al. Can we change health care costs in patients with complex back pain?: results from a 5-year before and after study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2020;45(20):1443-1450. doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000003550
Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen
What We’re Reading: FDA Approves UTI Antibiotic; Ozempic, Wegovy Price Investigation; US Births Fall
April 25th 2024The FDA recently approved an antibiotic for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women; a Senate committee recently launched an investigation into the prices of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes and weight loss drugs; US births fell last year, resuming a national slide after a previous increase during the pandemic.
Read More
Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
Listen
The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) vote to ban most employers from issuing and enforcing noncompete clauses could have varying impacts on the health care workforce; federal regulators vastly under-enforced antitrust laws in the hospital sector during the last 2 decades, resulting in increased health costs; the FDA recently found genetic evidence of the H5N1 bird flu virus in pasteurized commercially purchased milk.
Read More
Polatuzumab Vedotin and R-CHP Appropriate for Untreated DLBCL
April 24th 2024Population pharmacokinetic and exposure-response analyses revealed a favorable benefit-risk profilane for the treatment combination of polatuzumab vedotin and rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (R-CHP).
Read More
Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen
What We’re Reading: FDA Approves UTI Antibiotic; Ozempic, Wegovy Price Investigation; US Births Fall
April 25th 2024The FDA recently approved an antibiotic for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women; a Senate committee recently launched an investigation into the prices of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes and weight loss drugs; US births fell last year, resuming a national slide after a previous increase during the pandemic.
Read More
Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
Listen
The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) vote to ban most employers from issuing and enforcing noncompete clauses could have varying impacts on the health care workforce; federal regulators vastly under-enforced antitrust laws in the hospital sector during the last 2 decades, resulting in increased health costs; the FDA recently found genetic evidence of the H5N1 bird flu virus in pasteurized commercially purchased milk.
Read More
Polatuzumab Vedotin and R-CHP Appropriate for Untreated DLBCL
April 24th 2024Population pharmacokinetic and exposure-response analyses revealed a favorable benefit-risk profilane for the treatment combination of polatuzumab vedotin and rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (R-CHP).
Read More
2 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512