Reaching further: How physical therapy will scale and engage millions more in need
Millions of Americans suffer from physical pain, yet few are getting access to the treatment they need to improve their quality of life. By bringing telemedicine to physical therapy, PTs can reach more people early on to improve quality of life, lower their overall health costs, and reduce opioid addictions and unnecessary surgeries.
Musculoskeletal diseases affect more than one out of every two persons in the United States age 18 and over, and nearly three out of four age 65 and over (cite: BoneandJointBurden.org). Yet of all patients with neuromusculoskeletal issues, only about 8% seek out rehab therapy (WebPT). Although treatments delivered by PTs are supported as a first-line treatment for lower back pain, PT referral rates remain low. There also exists disparately lower referral rates in populations with more restrictive health plans and simultaneous opioid prescription.
This results in a rise of addictive pain medications and a decline in health. Left unaddressed, this issue will only continue to increase. STAT forecasts that opioids could kill nearly 500,000 Americans in the next decade. The lack of access to PT will be a growing problem as the population suffering from musculoskeletal pain will continue to grow as well.
The burden of inefficient treatment plans impacts the entire health care system and economy. Traditionally, patients receive costly and unnecessary care including imaging tests, surgeries, injections, and opioids that often make things worse (Childs et al, 2015). Early access to physical therapy can also have a financial benefit to the patient, a 2015 study shows that physical therapy can lower patient treatment costs by 72 percent.
Tele-PT: Opportunities to Reach More People & Strengthen Relationships
Physical therapists are some of the best healthcare professionals for assessing and treating musculoskeletal conditions. Removing the barriers to physical therapy will have tremendous impact on quality of life overall and significantly reduce downstream spend on musculoskeletal care such as opioids, imaging, and surgeries.
Telemedicine opens up new opportunities for physical therapists to reach more people across the United States before they take on unnecessary treatment plans or medications. In fact, in rural areas of the United States there are 30 specialists per 100,000 people compared to urban areas which have 263 specialists per 100,000 people (source: National Rural Health Association). It’s also not surprising, given the shortage of rural health professionals, that the opioid crisis is more devastating in rural areas.
For physical therapists, there is a huge need and opportunity to figure out a way to scale the profession to reach everyone in need. Currently, if you do not live in an urban center, you’re going to have a hard time finding a PT, as the image below indicates.
In a recent study, 78 percent of people said they were interested in receiving care virtually. Additional research from 2017 found that telerehab effectively improves physical function and reduces pain just as well as in-person treatment for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. It will also impact overall satisfaction, as patients and therapists have strong partnerships and build trust through telehealth, which has shown to improve outcomes and patient satisfaction.
A telemedicine approach to physical therapy is happening today and it will help millions return to quality of life. It’s time to shift gears.
Visit Physera at #APTACSM booth #456 to learn how we can get more people in front of physical therapists.
