TY - JOUR
T1 - A prospective one-year outcome study of interdisciplinary chronic pain management
T2 - Compromising its efficacy by managed care policies
AU - Robbins, Heather
AU - Gatchel, Robert J.
AU - Noe, Carl
AU - Gajraj, Noor
AU - Polatin, Peter
AU - Deschner, Martin
AU - Vakharia, Akshay
AU - Adams, Laura
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2003/7/1
Y1 - 2003/7/1
N2 - Although interdisciplinary pain management programs are both therapeutically effective as well as cost-effective, they are currently being underutilized because of managed care policies. We used this pro-spective comparison trial, with 1-yr follow-up of chronic pain patients, to demonstrate the short- and long-term efficacy of an interdisciplinary pain management program, and evaluate the impact of managed care's physical therapy "carve out" practices on these treatment outcomes. Consecutive chronic pain patients (n = 201) were evaluated, some of whom had their physical therapy "carved out" from this integrated program. Results revealed that successful completion of interdisciplinary pain management was therapeutically effective. Most importantly, physical therapy "carved out" practices had a negative impact on both the short-term and 1-yr follow-up outcome measures. Thus, interdisciplinary pain management is effective in treating the major health problem of chronic pain. However, insurance carrier policies of contracting treatment "carve outs" significantly compromise the efficacy of this evidencebased, best standard of medical care treatment. This raises important medico-legal and ethical issues.
AB - Although interdisciplinary pain management programs are both therapeutically effective as well as cost-effective, they are currently being underutilized because of managed care policies. We used this pro-spective comparison trial, with 1-yr follow-up of chronic pain patients, to demonstrate the short- and long-term efficacy of an interdisciplinary pain management program, and evaluate the impact of managed care's physical therapy "carve out" practices on these treatment outcomes. Consecutive chronic pain patients (n = 201) were evaluated, some of whom had their physical therapy "carved out" from this integrated program. Results revealed that successful completion of interdisciplinary pain management was therapeutically effective. Most importantly, physical therapy "carved out" practices had a negative impact on both the short-term and 1-yr follow-up outcome measures. Thus, interdisciplinary pain management is effective in treating the major health problem of chronic pain. However, insurance carrier policies of contracting treatment "carve outs" significantly compromise the efficacy of this evidencebased, best standard of medical care treatment. This raises important medico-legal and ethical issues.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037636204&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1213/01.ANE.0000058886.87431.32
DO - 10.1213/01.ANE.0000058886.87431.32
M3 - Article
C2 - 12818959
AN - SCOPUS:0037636204
SN - 0003-2999
VL - 97
SP - 156
EP - 162
JO - Anesthesia and Analgesia
JF - Anesthesia and Analgesia
IS - 1
ER -