Results of “Physical Therapy First” Study Revealed on Thursday, Omnichannel Solution Announced
Results of “Physical Therapy First” Study Revealed on Thursday, Omnichannel Solution Announced
Findings include Physical Therapy’s Significant Effect on the Costs of Musculoskeletal Care and the Opioid Crisis
Results of a study surrounding the effects of physical therapy (PT) when combatting musculoskeletal complaints were revealed on Thursday at the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) Private Practice 2022 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Aurora, Colorado. The study, which explored findings using medical claims and patient surveillance, was presented by Dr. Larry Benz, DPT, OCS, MBA, MAPP, and co-founder and CEO of Confluent Health, and Dr. John Childs, PT, PhD, MBA, FAPTA and co-founder of Evidence in Motion.
“PT First”, a health plan benefit designed to incentivize the use of PT from the initial outset of musculoskeletal conditions, eliminates co-pays for PT. The overarching findings concluded that using PT first resulted in 42% savings in the total cost of care. Other findings included that the program increased the uptake of PT first by 50% or more, reduced the overall cost of care, and decreased the duration of care needed.
“We began this study in 2018 with the intent of helping educate others needing conservative and cost-effective relief for their musculoskeletal conditions in a system that incentivizes the most expensive, invasive care first,” said Dr. Benz. “Now, four years later, our study confirms that removing the barriers to seeking physical therapy early decreases the likelihood of high-cost imaging and procedures, the use of opioid therapy, and medical costs in total.”
In fact, opioid therapy and pain medications increased the duration of care and decreased the rate of using PT first. When muscle relaxers were prescribed, it tripled the average cost of care, and when narcotics were prescribed, it quadrupled the average cost of care.
As a next step to the PT First study, Benz’s musculoskeletal care company, Confluent Health, has launched mōviMSK. This omnichannel solution, innovated by Confluent Health, was launched in 2021 to provide fast, virtual access to board-certified physical therapists assisting the 50% of Americans that suffer from a musculoskeletal condition every day. The solution helps patients get to the best, most conservative care first and saves the patient and their medical plans time, resources, and expense.
“MōviMSK uses a unique combination of evidence-based care, processes, and technologies to offer a global and turnkey approach to managing musculoskeletal complaints,” said Dr. Benz. “While the global healthcare crisis of musculoskeletal deficiencies is disheartening, we are excited to offer this solution as a next step.”
For more information on Confluent Health, please visit https://goconfluent.com. To learn more about mōviMSK, please visit https://movimsk.com/.
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About Larry Benz
Dr. Larry Benz, PT, DPT, OCS, MBA, MAPP, is the co-founder and CEO of Confluent Health, a family of musculoskeletal care companies with a focus on physical therapy, education, and occupational health, all dedicated to developing highly effective clinicians, strengthening private practice, and reducing healthcare costs. This includes more than 520 outpatient physical therapy centers in 30 states, Evidence In Motion, our reimagined health care education model, and Fit for Work, which provides workplace injury prevention services focused on reducing workers’ compensation claims.
A frequent lecturer at Physical Therapy programs, national conferences, and MBA schools throughout the country, Dr. Benz graduated from Bowling Green State University and trained at Baylor University and the University of Pennsylvania. He is a nationally recognized award recipient for his expertise in private-practice Physical Therapy and occupational medicine. As the co-developer of Jacmel Rehabilitation, Dr. Benz and his colleagues at Confluent Health and other various organizations have built a sustainable physical rehabilitation clinic in Haiti. For more information, please visit PThelpforHaiti.org and CalledtoCarebook.com.
About John Childs
Dr. John Childs is a co-founder of Evidence in Motion and partner in Confluent Health, which includes EIM, a network of 520+ outpatient physical therapy centers in 30 states, and Fit for Work, which provides workplace injury prevention services focused on reducing workers’ compensation claims.
A graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a BS in biology (1994), he completed his MPT from US Army-Baylor University (1996), MBA from the University of Arizona (2000), Master of Science in Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy from the University of Pittsburgh (2002), PhD in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Pittsburgh (2003), and DPT from the Evidence in Motion Institute of Health Professions (2010).
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