Physical Therapy as the First Point of Care to Treat Low Back Pain: An Instrumental Variables Approach to Estimate Impact on Opioid Prescription, Health Care Utilization, and Costs.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:To compare differences in opioid prescription, health care utilization, and costs among patients with low back pain (LBP) who saw a physical therapist (PT) at the first point of care, at any time during the episode or not at all. DATA SOURCES:Commercial health insurance claims data, 2009-2013. STUDY DESIGN:Retrospective analyses using two-stage residual inclusion instrumental variable models to estimate rates for opioid prescriptions, imaging services, emergency department visits, hospitalization, and health care costs. DATA EXTRACTION:Patients aged 18-64 years with a new primary diagnosis of LBP, living in the northwest United States, were observed over a 1-year period. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Compared to patients who saw a PT later or never, patients who saw a PT first had lower pro

SUBMITTER: Frogner BK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6232429 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature