Managers today are caught in the middle when employers demand greater cost controls at the same time employees expect continued, or even increased, benefits. Simply put, you are being asked to squeeze more from less. Add in the upward-spiraling costs of health care and managed-care restrictions, and that can seem like an overwhelming, if not impossible, task.

That’s why more and more organizations are turning to chiropractic for help. Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) offer a wide range of services that have proven highly effective in reducing workers’ compensation costs and lost work time while relieving pain and suffering. Additionally, doctors of chiropractic consistently rate high in patient satisfaction; which can translate into employee satisfaction. Even more importantly, they specialize in the prevention of conditions and disorders that are a leading source of injury among industrial/manufacturing workers, health care personnel, service industry employees, vehicle operators, clerical/ sedentary workers, among others.

The following explains the many ways in which chiropractic can help you balance fiscal responsibilities while caring for the welfare of your organization’s most valuable resources — its employees. This section of our web site can show you how to reduce suffering and lost work time and, in the process, achieve greater efficiency and profits for your organization

Every occupation puts a unique set of stresses and strains on the body. Sudden blows and jars to the structural system, lifting and occupational strains and sprains, slips and falls, and other such accidents may lead to spinal conditions and disorders that result in either acute or chronic pain. These can impair workers on their job and cause them to be off work for extended periods of time. Nationwide statistics show that 80 percent of every workers’ compensation dollar is spent in the management of neuromusculoskeletal disorders, such as low-back injuries and upper extremity disorders, including carpal-tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and shoulder/arm/hand syndrome.

The high cost of back injuries poses a threat to every health plan and causes insurance costs to skyrocket. Because Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) are specially trained in the most appropriate means of diagnosis, clinical management, and prevention of these disorders, they can help contain costs and get workers back on the job in less time. Through examination and corrective adjustments, DCs treat the abnormally fixated or displaced joint to normalize the body and return it to healthy function. In most cases, this can be done with minimal or no time off in an outpatient setting typically provided in the doctor’s office. In addition, since chiropractic procedures do not include the use of drugs or surgery, time off for treatment or recuperation is reduced Likewise, the high cost of medication is eliminated.

Information from health care studies consistently illustrate that when doctors of chiropractic are part of a health care team, they can significantly lower the cost of injury care and lost work time

· Compensation costs were significantly lower for chiropractic care than for medical care.

· Hospitalization and medication costs were lower for chiropractic care than for medical care.

· Patients were diagnosed and treated by DCs in less time than by medical doctors.

· Patients treated by DCs lost less time from work than those treated by medical doctors

Proper utilization management by Dr. Vilkelis ensures that chiropractic is among the most cost-effective treatments available for neuromusculoskeletal disorders.

Chiropractic is neither new nor experimental and enjoys a long history of providing relief and promoting health. The word "chiropractic" is derived from the Greek words "chier" and "praktikos" meaning "done by hand." The main therapeutic procedure performed by Dr. Vilkelis is known as manipulation or as the chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractic adjustments restore joint mobility and function by manually applying a controlled force into joints that have become fixated due to tissue injury. These injuries can be sustained by a single traumatic event, such as improperly lifting a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for an extended period of time. In either case, injured tissues undergo chemical and biomechanical changes that can cause both inflammation and pain for the sufferer. Chiropractic adjustment of the joint restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and allowing tissues to heal.

Chiropractic treatment actually starts before the first adjustment when Dr. Vilkelis take the time to learn about and appreciate each patient’s unique set of circumstances. Informed with an understanding of the patient’s whole, integrated system — the body and mind, the work and stresses — he is able to call upon the inherent recuperative powers of the body, working with the relationship between the muscle and bone structures and the functions of the body to restore and maintain health. This includes special attention to the physiological and biochemical aspects of the body including structural, spinal, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular, nutritional, emotional and environmental relationships.

Doctors of Chiropractic are licensed health care practitioners who have undergone a rigorous course of clinical and practical training through accredited chiropractic colleges. Before they are allowed to practice, DCs must pass strict, comprehensive national board exams and become state-licensed. Most states also require continuing education and yearly license renewal as well. DCs participating in managed care organizations are subject to the strict credentialing standards set by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)

All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U S Virgin Islands have statutes recognizing and regulating the practice of chiropractic as an independent health profession. The practice of chiropractic is also officially recognized in many foreign countries.

Strong scientific evidence of effectiveness and patient satisfaction with the positive results of chiropractic care have increased the popularity of chiropractic. Virtually all insurance carriers in the United States provide policies generally covering some form of chiropractic care. In addition, chiropractic professionals have established relationships with third-party payers such as Workers’ Compensation carriers, Federal Employees Compensation laws, Medicare, Medicaid, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act and others. Dr. Vilkelis specifically is a participating provider for Aetna-US.Healthcare, Oxford, all Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance plans and Medicare.

Organized labor has taken a positive action approach to chiropractic. As the benefits of chiropractic health care have surfaced, more and more labor unions have included chiropractic benefits in their health and welfare programs.

Typical academic training and clinical internships for chiropractic students include:

            ·  More than 2,000 study hours of biological and clinical sciences, such as anatomy, physiology, nutrition, public health, orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics, geriatrics, and other health sciences.

            ·  More than 1,000 study hours of chiropractic sciences, such as biomechanics, spinal analysis, manipulation, diagnostic imaging and its interpretation.

            ·  Internships in clinical radiology and interpretation.

            ·  At least 900 hours of clinical practice before graduation covering all aspects of patient care: taking patient histories and doing physical exams; diagnosing problems and their underlying causes; referring patients who would benefit from other specialties or emergency medical care; and performing adjustments and related chiropractic treatments on the spine and other joints.

Chiropractic colleges also offer postgraduate and continuing education programs in areas ranging from sports injuries and occupational health to orthopedics, diagnostic imaging, nutrition, rehabilitation and neurology, which allow doctors of chiropractic to specialize or meet state re-licensure requirements.

Low back problems affect virtually everyone at some time during his or her life. Surveys indicate a yearly prevalence of symptoms in 50 percent of working age adults; 15-20 percent of whom seek medical care. Low back problems are among the highest ranking reasons for physician office visits and are costly in terms of medical treatment, lost productivity and non-monetary costs such as diminished ability to perform or enjoy usual activities. In fact, for persons under age 45, low back problems are the most common cause of disability (Bigos 1994).

Healthy employees are more productive employees, and when time off for sickness and injury can be reduced, not only can workers’ compensation and health insurance costs be decreased but, productivity is increased as a direct result of less man-hour lost. In contrast to medical treatment, which can prove difficult and costly, especially in neuromusculoskeletal cases, chiropractic has been proven to be effective in reducing industrial injuries, lowering lost time from work, shrinking medical costs, and raising productivity. DCs are the most widely accepted providers of spinal manipulation treatment, delivering approximately 94 percent of the manipulation reimbursed by health insurance (Shekelle 1992)

Prevention of injury and illness is, of course, the best approach Many DCs provide comprehensive health care and safety programs designed to reduce your companys workplace injuries, absenteeism, and related expenses, such as

              ·  Rehabilitation Services

Evaluate human performance capacity and provide for strengthening rehabilitation and work-hardening procedures for workers

Educate management and workers who experience recurring or chronic back pain and injury including safety training in job performance to prevent re-injury

Numerous time-loss studies of industrial back iniury show that under chiropractic care, work clays lost and total treatment costs are significantly less than with nieclical treatment. Others studies demonstrate the advantages of including chiropractic in any health plan designed for business and industry. The studies include: (1) AHCPR Guidelines, 2) Meade Study, (3) Stano Study, (4) Manga Study, (5) Australian Study, (6) Utah Study, (7) College of William & Mary Study, (8) University of Richmond Study, (9) Florida Study and (10) Oregon Study

AHCPR Guidelines: Treat the pain of most acute how-back problems with spinal manipulation in the first four weeks of symptoms in conjunction with immediate mild exercise.

Manga Study: Spinal manipulation applied by chiropractors is more effective than alternative treatments for low-back pain — many medical therapies are of questionable validity or are clearly inadequate.

Australian Study: The average number of compensation days taken as a result of work-related low-back pain treated by chiropractic was 19.3 days less than those treated by medical doctors.

Florida Study: Chiropractic case management, compared with standard medical case management, minimizes prolonged absence from work and excessive treatment costs for work-related back injuries and illnesses.

Oregon Study: Median time loss days (for cases with comparable clinical severity) was an average of 2.5 less for chiropractic cases — suggesting that chiropractors are better able to manage injured workers with a history of low-back problems and return them more quickly to productive employment.

Numerous studies have shown that chiropractic treatment, including manipulative therapy and spinal adjustment, is safe and effective for:

          — Low-back pain

— Mid-back pain

— Neck pain

— Joint pain

— Headaches

 

Note: AHCPR-sponsored evidence-based reports on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic headache pain are being developed for publication in 1999. Expert panels formed by representatives from over 30 health care groups will provide peer review of the reports, which will be based on review of the scientific literature. The techniques under scrutiny include: diagnostic testing, acute drug treatment, preventive drug treatment, behavioral treatments such as relaxation training, and physical treatments, including spinal manipulation, physical therapy and acupuncture.

Under managed care, patients are increasingly viewed as partners in their own health care. Their satisfaction with the care they receive is an important component to their recovery and well-being. The chiropractic field has long emphasized strong collaborative relationships between DCs and their patients, and chiropractic patients have praised the empathy and communication skills of DCs, as well as the outcomes they have enjoyed from chiropractic care

In a 1997 study by Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, 95.8 percent of chiropractic patients surveyed indicated overall satisfaction with chiropractic care and services. Satisfaction levels with some specific aspects of care include:

          Explanation of tests and procedures: 95.7 percent

Advice given about ways to stay healthy: 95.7 percent

A clear understanding of the nature and extent of the illness helps the DC decide whether chiropractic care is the appropriate treatment for the condition and if additional examination procedures are necessary. Like other health professionals, doctors of chiropractic have a network of health providers available for referral when necessary. In managed-care settings, the DC collaborates with the PCP when non-chiropractic care is indicated

 

Physical Examination

Orthopedic, neurological, spinal examinations and postural analysis are performed to determine the patient’s general health status and specific problem(s).

 

X-rays/Lab Tests

May be utilized to further assess the health condition when clinically necessary.

 

Diagnosis

Based on history examination, and x-ray/lab findings.

Treatment Plan

Factors that may compromise recovery:

— Biomechanical stress

— Re-injury or exacerbation

— Poor patient compliance

— Prolonged static stress

— Psycho-social stress

— Multilevel degenerative joint disease (Source Haldeman 1992)