|
In search for something to discuss for this month’s
article, I referred to some of my “Crash” studies from the Spine
Institute of San Diego. I
reviewed a trial team study done by the United Kingdom.
In a randomized trial, the cost effectiveness of the treatment of
back pain in primary care was considered.
The objective was to assess the cost of spinal manipulation
(adjustment), exercise classes, or manipulation followed by exercise
(combined treatment). There
were 181 general practices and 63 community centers for physical treatment
around 14 centers used across the United Kingdom.
The evaluation team was measuring healthcare cost, quality, and
adjusted life over the course of 12 months.
The cost of one year’s worth of just spinal
manipulation alone was 195 pounds sterling ($360 US); 3-278 pounds sterling
for exercise only; and 21-228 pounds sterling for combined treatment.
After these studies were carried out, the conclusion was that spinal
manipulation is a cost effective way to obtain the “best care for back
pain in general practice.” Manipulation
alone probably gave the best value for the money followed by manipulation
combined with exercise. This
study may be found in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) and from the website
PubMed (www.pubMed.com).
In a study approximately 8 years ago in which I
participated in, we realized that overall back care was approximately a 9 to
1 ratio. This means that
chiropractic care was 1/9 the cost of medical treatment such as surgery.
Because chiropractic care was able to address a problem sooner, the
facts were built such as duration of injury parallel to the duration of
healing. The study also tried
to impress upon employers that chiropractic should be a natural health asset
to their businesses. For
example, an employee that is injured has to be replaced or overtime is
offered to another employee to fill in the void left by the injured.
When replacing a valuable employee, one needs to take in
consideration man replacement skills, production, and speed.
When many other disciplines of health begin there treatment regimes
there are usually multiple time factors to consider such as appointments and
lengthy rehabilitation. For
many years I have heard many employers complain about healthcare cost but
they refuse to address it. Employers
who read this should open their eyes and talk to some companies that I am
familiar with in St. Louis, by the way are woman owned, who have increased
their production potential and decreased injury exposure
by using chiropractic care for their employees.
In conclusion, the praise that was told to me 40 years
ago by a well-educated professor said, “Bob, it is truly easier to light
one small candle than to curse an eternity of darkness.”
Chiropractically
Yours,
Robert
R. Zinser, D.C., C.C.S.P., P.C.
www.zinserchiropractic.com
|
