Guidelines? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Guidelines!
May
09
- Narcotic usage increased 50%
- Scans (CT/MRI) increased 50%
- PT and X-rays were unchanged
- NSAIDs (Motrin, Advil, Aleve, etc.) usage decreased 33%
- Referrals to specialists (e.g. orthopedic surgeons) doubled!
- “When patients first present with back pain, the majority of them will have complete resolution of their symptoms within a couple of months.”
- “The most worrisome findings were the rapid rise in narcotic prescriptions.”
- “Narcotics have not been shown to improve back pain, and they can lead to addiction.”
With back pain being one of the most common reasons claimants/patients see a doctor (with an $86 billion annual price tag), this is pretty strong stuff.
Potential explanations why physicians ignore the conservative treatment guidelines include:
- Price insensitivity (by both patients and doctors)
- Patient demands (for quick answers and fast resolution)
- Fear of malpractice liability.
Don’t allow your patients/claimants to be subjected to unnecessary diagnostics, ineffective surgeries and risky exposure to addictive narcotics.
We can help you follow the stinkin’ guidelines.
Call us. We can do better.
William Faris, JD
Chief Executive Officer
502-495-5040
william.faris@omca.biz
www.omca.biz
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