KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MedRisk has released its 2017 Industry Trends Report featuring the latest research on evidence-based physical therapy treatment and jurisdictional updates affecting musculoskeletal care in workers’ compensation. The report is available at https://goo.gl/egL2AM.
“Our commitment to delivering optimal return-to-work outcomes keeps us focused on evidence-based research, industry trends and legislative updates,” said Chief Clinical and Product Officer Mary O’Donoghue. “This report highlights meaningful changes we’ve seen in workers’ comp this year as we continue to serve our customers, patients and providers.”
MedRisk, which manages approximately 500,000 physical medicine cases in workers’ compensation a year, has analyzed treatment data for more than 20 years. Combining internal analysis with external research, the infographic-style report highlights significant industry trends that suggest that evidence-based research recommendations are being adopted.
The past five years have brought a move toward conservative care, including physical therapy, with 34 percent fewer surgical cases for low back pain. The opioid epidemic has prompted the medical community to use alternate therapies, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now considers physical therapy the preferred first treatment for chronic pain. Additionally, acupuncture has been shown to reduce the severity of low back pain, and MedRisk now has more than 1,400 acupuncture providers in its national network.
There has also been a 29 percent reduction in post-op care due to pre-op education, often delivered by physical therapists. MedRisk supports this through written materials, convenient scheduling and addressing psychosocial issues. The report also highlights legislative and regulatory developments, including those impacting telemedicine.
About MedRisk
Based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, MedRisk is the largest managed care organization dedicated to the physical rehabilitation of injured workers. One of the Inc. 5,000 fastest growing companies, MedRisk counts over 116,000 providers in its network and serves almost 500,000 injured workers every year. It holds direct contracts with more than 80 percent of the nation’s top workers’ compensation insurers and third-party administrators. MedRisk, which has successfully completed a SSAE 16 Type II examination, ensures high quality care and delivers outstanding customer service. To that end, all customer service professionals, healthcare advocates and physical therapists are based in the U.S. For more information, visit www.medrisknet.com or call 800-225-9675.
