Choosing the right doctor can make the difference

Choosing the right doctor can make the difference

Donald Capoferri, DC, BCN, DAAMLP

William J Owens Jr DC DAAMLP CPC

Mark E Studin DC, FASBE©, DAAPM, DAAMLP

When you experience pain of spinal origin, particularly lower back pain choosing the right “type” of doctor can have an influence on the outcome of care. In 2010 a study of back pain patients insured by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee revealed patients receive nearly 3x better results at almost half the cost when consulting a chiropractor instead of a traditional medical doctor.

The authors stated “Druss and his colleagues5 noted that back problems are one of the top 10 most costly conditions treated in the United States. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at National Institutes of Health, LBP treatment costs more than $50 billion per year. In addition, indirect costs for LBP have been estimated at between $7.4 billion and $19.8 billion per year, and the incremental medical care cost for LBP are estimated to be an additional $26 billion per year.” (pg 640)

The study was conducted on 85, 402 patients, all insured with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee. The particular insurer was chosen because it provided equal access to both traditional medical and chiropractic care. The population of patient were diagnosed with the following conditions: Spinal disc disorders, Lower back pain, muscle spasms, joint mobility restrictions, Sacroiliac joint sprain/strain and lumbar spine sprain/strain. The results of the study revealed, those patients who initiated care with a chiropractor had a 61% very satisfied response when surveyed. Those patient who initiated care with a medical doctor had a 27% very satisfied response. The patients who initiated care with a chiropractor incurred 40% less cost than those choosing traditional medical care.

There is a growing body of evidence indicating that chiropractic care is more effective and less costly than medical care for back pain. In contrast to this and many other studies indicating the efficacy of chiropractic care for back pain, only 7% of U.S. back pain sufferers consult a chiropractor. Using the data from this study the insurer would realize a $2.3 million dollar savings if the population of back pain patients initiated care with a chiropractor first. Insurance companies that restrict access to chiropractic care may be inadvertently paying more for care than it would be if the restrictions were removed.

In conclusion, the paper reported “For low back pain, care initiated with a chiropractor (DC) is less costly than care initiated through a Medical Doctor (MD). Paid costs for episodes of care initiated with a DC are almost 40% less then episodes initiated with an MD.” (pg 643)

References:

Liliedahl, R. L., Finch, M. D., Axene, D. V., & Goertz, C. M. (2010). Cost of care for common back pain conditions initiated with chiropractic doctor vs medical doctor/doctor of osteopathy as first physician: experience of one Tennessee-based general health insurer. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, 33(9), 640-643.