DJO Global Inc, a global provider of medical device solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health, and pain management, has released an estimated financial impact on Medicare patients who suffer from chronic low back pain (CLBP). The financial impact calculation estimates that using the current standard of care to treat the estimated 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries who have CLBP and seek medical intervention presently costs about $1.3 billion annually. If patients are supplied with TENS in place of other treatments, Medicare could save an estimated $417 million.
According to a Business Wire news release, the cost figures were calculated based on a recently published study in Orthopedics, which looked at the clinical and economic impact of TENS in patients with CLBP. The study evaluated patients who were given TENS compared with a statistically matched group without TENS for 1 year prior to intervention and for 1 year of follow-up. The results of the study showed that patients treated with TENS had notably few hospital and clinic visits as well as physical therapy visits. In addition, this group used less diagnostic imaging and required less back surgery than patients receiving other treatment modalities.
The Business Wire news release notes that the research supports DJO Global’s Motion is Medicine initiative, which is an effort to help patients restore lost motion, improve overall health, and maintain activity levels. The initiative addresses four areas: pain, strength, stability, and alignment. The use of conservative care options that promote a patient’s ability to move can decrease complications, such as hypertension, and motion and conservative care promotes patient engagement in wellness and can help control costs for specific bundled payments.
Sharon Wolfington, president of Global Recovery Sciences, DJO Global, states, “Many clinicians have initiated a conservative care treatment option instead of surgery for their patients. They have experienced the value of including TENS as part of their standardized protocols. Pain management is a critical part of the patient experience, and surgeons are looking for alternatives to narcotics and anti-inflammatory medications.”
Wolfington adds, “Our Motion is Medicine initiative supports standardized conservative care treatments, such as TENS, that will help healthcare providers expand protocol management models to meet new requirements.”
[Source: Business Wire]
