The Right Care the First Time: Why Your Employees Should Always Start with Conservative Care

The Right Care the First Time
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When it comes to musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, such as sciatica, knee pain, or neck pain, various methods of treatment are traditionally turned to, such as medications or injections. One form of MSK treatment that is often overlooked and not discussed is conservative care (also known as conservative management or treatment). Conservative care is defined as “the avoidance of intrusive measures, such as surgery or other invasive procedures, usually with the intent to preserve function or body parts.”[1]

When faced with aches and injuries, the initial decision on how to proceed can be confusing and challenging. Exploring multiple treatment options and finding the right provider becomes a daunting task, considering the potential complexities involved. This process often leads to lengthy recovery periods, as well as potentially costly expenses, and invasive procedures, as well as testing, imaging, or even surgery. It is essential to navigate these choices carefully to ensure the most suitable and effective approach for addressing the condition at hand.

Opting for conservative care as the initial course of action can be highly beneficial for employees, as it not only saves time but also minimizes expenses. Furthermore, conservative care directly focuses on alleviating pain, reducing the burden on your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Consequently, it can often be a superior choice for addressing musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions and promoting overall recovery.

How Conservative Care is Less Invasive & More Efficient

First, conservative care is a less invasive option compared to other traditional treatments. Depending on your condition and the severity, it may be recommended you seek injections or even surgery for your case. However, these procedures and treatments are invasive and factors like age and recovery risks can be detrimental to a patient and how they respond. Luckily, conservative options such as manual therapy and myofascial release can decrease a lengthy or complicated recovery while still providing effective results and can prevent the need for surgery.[2]

Since conservative management is a hands-on approach, medications are often not involved or prescribed. Medications, such as opioids, can sometimes be prescribed for people suffering from major injuries or chronic pain. However, if taken over long periods or misused, opioids can become highly addictive and lead to dependency.[3] Because conservative care involves options like manual therapy or massage to reduce common symptoms such as inflammation, stiffness, or loss of mobility, opioid usage is greatly reduced and curbed.

Second, emphasizing conservative care for employees with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions can significantly save them valuable time in navigating the complexities of healthcare and experiencing the detrimental effects of not receiving effective care promptly. Instead of spending excessive time searching for the appropriate provider or treatment, opting for conservative care streamlines the process. Moreover, recent clinical guidelines now point to the effectiveness of conservative care, making it a compelling option. By choosing conservative treatment, individuals often experience accelerated recovery and a notable reduction in overall recovery time.

Lastly, encouraging conservative care as a first option can help reduce costs employees may face. When it comes to medical care, healthcare professionals may order tests to rule out possible causes of symptoms, as well as determine the exact nature of the injury. Unfortunately, this can result in unnecessary imaging, and tests can result in high costs for consumers. In 2018 it was estimated that $765 billion is wasted in the United States on unnecessary medical care.[4] Imaging should only be considered if serious pathology is considered within a patient or care has been unsuccessful for their condition.[5]

Studies have shown that conservative care can be more cost-effective than traditional care methods.[6] Additionally, conservative methods can help reduce the amount of unnecessary expenses that consumers may face, especially if certain treatments are out-of-network or patients do not have medical insurance. Early intervention with conservative treatments can help reduce costs over time and possibly reduce the amount of treatments needed.[7]

Why Airrosti is the Best Conversative Care Option

When choosing a conservative care option for your members, the selections can feel overwhelming. Airrosti makes it simple and can help prevent your employees from traversing a rather complex recovery process. Airrosti adheres to conservative care and utilizes evidence-based practices, which include gathering comprehensive medical history, diagnosis, and manual therapy combined with individualized active rehabilitation and patient-centered treatment and education regarding their condition.[8][9]

Based on third-party results, Airrosti’s conservative care model has shown a 44% reduction in the total cost of care, 83% reduction in surgical utilization, 71% reduction in high-tech imaging utilization, 53% reduction in non-surgical opioid utilization, 35% reduction in hours away from work seeking medical care, 50% reduction in episode length.[10]

Moreover, Airrosti offers VIP Chat, a no-cost, 15-minute video consultation with one of our Providers, which can help determine if Airrosti is the best fit for your members and their condition and reduce unnecessary costs. In addition, to be seen by an Airrosti Provider, no referral is needed for most insurance plans. To accommodate patients and their schedules, Airrosti offers both in-person and virtual options for appointments. For most patients, Airrosti can resolve most injuries in an average of 3-4 visits (based on patient-reported outcomes and visit data).[11] If you and your company are looking to offer an effective conservative care option for MSK conditions and injuries for your employees and members, contact Airrosti and request a demo.

For more information, or to schedule a meeting or demo, click here.

 

 

 

[1] https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/05/10/conservative-management-are-we-still-practising-it-as-we-should/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7260131/
[3] https://www.va.gov/PAINMANAGEMENT/Opioid_Safety/OSI_docs/10-791-Safe_and_Responsible_Use_508.pdf
[4] https://www.propublica.org/article/unnecessary-medical-care-is-more-common-than-you-think#:~:text=A%20study%20in%20Washington%20state,estimated%20cost%20of%20%24282%20million.
[5] https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/2/79
[6] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161475414000876
[7] https://www.apta.org/news/2017/07/26/study-says-cost-savings-of-physical-therapy-for-lbp-are-significant
[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2349778/
[9] https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/2/79
[10] https://www.airrosti.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/SHRM-Opioid-Article.pdf
[11] https://www.airrosti.com/results-value/

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