Reduce Health Care Costs With Physical Therapy

Early Physical Therapy Intervention Can Help Reduce Pain and Overall Costs

Today, patients just like you are faced with costly deductibles and doctor visits. The good news is that physical therapy can help reduce costs…by a lot!

Physical therapy intervention is not only one of the most cost-effective treatment options available to patients dealing with chronic conditions, such as back pain, it can also help to reduce pain of other body parts and provide long-lasting savings.

But, timing matters. Let’s take a look.

Timing of Physical Therapy and Decreased Healthcare Costs

Multiple studies have found that patients who received early physical therapy intervention paid lower health care costs and experienced less pain than those who delayed treatment.

For example, a study in the scientific journal BMC Health Services Research, found that patients who received physical therapy within the first 14 days of developing non-specific low back pain, occurred at substantially lower costs for treatment. Adhering to the physical therapy plan of care resulted in a decreased need of advanced imaging, spinal injections, surgery, use of opioids and other pain medications. All resulting in much lower cost with better outcomes.

And now there is even more data supporting the use of early Physical Therapy interventions and how it impacts overall treatment costs.

Recently, a 2020 Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) study found that initiation of physical therapy within the first two weeks post-injury is associated with lower medical utilization and costs and shorter duration of temporary disability. On the other hand, those who delayed starting physical therapy of 30 days or more were more likely to require additional medical services including opioid prescriptions, MRIs, and pain management injections.

The report found that the average payment per claim for those who had delayed access and physical therapy was 24-28% higher than for those who received treatment soon after sustaining a low back injury. Additionally, the average number of disability weeks claimed by those who initiated PT more than 30 days after their injury was approximately 60-70% higher than those who received treatment within seven days of their injury.

In summary, early Physical Therapy intervention can help spare unnecessary pain and long-term costs. Data shows that the sooner a patient starts physical therapy, the faster they will typically recover, which ultimately helps to reduce costs in the long run.

Don’t Wait to See a Physical Therapist

If you or a loved one is suffering from pain and are putting off necessary treatment, you may end up experiencing more pain and even higher medical costs in the future. Get the care you need to recover sooner, get back to doing the things you love and avoid more expensive treatments down the road.

Treatment can be conducted in-clinic or via telehealth in the convenience of your own home. And now, Direct Access Laws allow patients to obtain treatment by physical therapists without a referral or prescription giving our patients faster access to care.

Schedule your free consultation today by calling 1-866-407-2144.