HealthPartners is implementing a new program to help patients
considering back surgery understand all of their treatment options
before committing to surgery.
Chronic low back pain is one of the most common reasons that people seek
health care. Up to 80 percent of Americans experience back pain at some
point in their lives, and each year 15 percent of all adults are treated
for problems such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis or lumbar pain.
But for many patients, comparing treatment options and alternatives can
be confusing. In addition, there’s also a growing body of evidence that
many patients with back pain can be treated effectively without surgery.
As part of the new program, patients will be referred to a medical spine
specialist, a clinician trained in areas including physical medicine and
rehabilitation, occupational medicine, sports medicine or other advanced
training in spine care. The spine specialist will help the patient
understand surgical and non-surgical options, and the benefits and risks
of both. There are no restrictions on surgery in the program and the
process is similar to seeing a cardiologist prior to visiting a heart
surgeon.
“There are multiple options for many patients with back pain,” said Dr.
Thomas Marr, HealthPartners medical director of clinical relations.
“Often when patients fully understand all of their options, they may
choose rehabilitation rather than surgery.”
Medical Spine Centers are clinics with one or more medical spine
specialists who focus on the non-surgical comprehensive evaluation of
spine problems. In a one-time evaluation lasting about an hour, medical
spine specialists help patients understand surgical and non-surgical
options and the benefits, risks and costs associated with various
treatment options.
The addition of Medical Spine Centers to HealthPartners’ overall spine
protocol is likely to help make health care more affordable. This comes
at a time when consumers are paying a greater share of their own health
care costs and when orthopedic costs are an increasingly significant
cost driver for employers.
More than 1,100 people enrolled in a HealthPartners plan underwent
spinal surgery in 2011. With the average surgery costing more than
$25,000, HealthPartners spent more than $28.3 million on lumbar fusions
and other spine surgeries in the past year.
In addition to cost, another challenge is that once a person has had
surgery, if they have pain again, their options can be limited.
“Patients can still see a surgeon after their evaluation if they wish,”
Marr said. “Their next steps are up to them to choose. But after this
visit, they'll be better informed about all of their options, and can
make choices more aligned with their own values. They may find that less
expensive and less-invasive alternatives to surgery are a better choice
for them.”About HealthPartners
Founded in 1957, the HealthPartners (
www.healthpartners.com)
family of health care companies serves more than 1.36 million medical
and dental health plan members nationwide. It is the largest
consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in the nation
providing care, coverage, research and education to improve the health
of members, patients and the community. HealthPartners is the top-ranked
commercial health plan in Minnesota and is also ranked among the top 25
plans in the nation according to NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings
2011-12 - private.
Copyright Business Wire 2012
