Sept. 23, 2014 – A new report published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, has concluded that on-site chiropractic services are associated with lower utilization of health care and lower subsequent costs, when compared to off-site services.
The report titled, Impact of Chiropractic Services at an On-Site Health
Center, was the result of a retrospective claims analysis of members of a
single employee health plan receiving chiropractic care on-site or
off-site from 2010 to 2012. Utilization differences were evaluated by
having one health care event or more, including radiology or clinical
visits.
The study involved 876 on-site and 759 off-site
participants. The off-site group received more radiology services
overall (55 per cent versus 38.2 per cent) including magnetic resonance
imaging, ultrasound and radiograph; had higher outpatient and emergency
department utilization; and demonstrated greater use of chiropractic
care and physical therapy.
“Compared with off-site care, on-site
chiropractic services are associated with lower health-care
utilization,” the report concluded. “These results support the value of
chiropractic services offered at on-site health centers.”
Commenting
on the study, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), a
not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the
value of chiropractic care, said this recent report echoed findings from
an earlier study, Value of Chiropractic Services at On-site Health
Centers, which found similar advancements, plus improved functional
status of musculoskeletal conditions, linked with on-site chiropractic
care.
“As the nation restructures its health-care delivery
system, employers are seeking innovative solutions that maximize value,”
Dr. Ross Miller, co-author of the new report, stated. “The on-site
corporate health center is an attractive option based on its ability to
control costs and deliver quality care. Evidence suggests that companies
with an on-site health center consider the inclusion of chiropractic,
as it offers great potential for higher return on investment.”
According
to the F4CP, the advantages of chiropractic inclusion span well beyond
financial gains to include favourable patient satisfaction scores and
clinical outcomes.
“Doctors of chiropractic provide
evidence-based care that is both non pharmacological and non-invasive,
to effectively address common problems, such as low back pain,” said Dr.
Gerard Clum, spokesperson for F4CP. “By offering chiropractic on-site,
employers significantly increase the opportunity for financial and
clinical success.”
Low back pain is documented as one of the
primary reasons for visits to U.S. health-care providers, according to
reports by both the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic.
Chiropractic
care is seamlessly integrated into the complete service offering of
many on-site clinics nationwide, and in one site – at Standard Process
Inc., a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of whole food supplements – doctors
of chiropractic are positioned at the helm of care delivery.
According
to Charlie DuBois, president, Standard Process, “We established our
on-site health center more than a decade ago to ensure happy and healthy
employees. Throughout the years, we have collected data and documented
our experience. We are excited to share our program results, such as
healthier employees, reduced health-care costs, and improved
productivity and morale. Chiropractic care has always been a core
service offered and is now recognized as a chief contributor to our
program’s overall success.”
To learn more about chiropractic and on-site health centers, visit: www.yes2chiropractic.org.
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