Cost Satisfaction
Please click on the statements below for more detail.Chiropractic Management
of Low-Back Pain is More Cost-Effective Than Medical Management
Fewer Work Days Lost With Chiropractic Management
Journal of Occupational MedicineśCompensation Costs
Ten Times Lower
Chiropractic Management
of Low-Back Pain is More Cost-Effective Than Medical Management
This study commissioned by the Ministry of Health
in Ontario, Canada concluded that chiropractic management is greatly
superior to medical management in terms of scientific validity, safety,
cost-effectiveness and patient satisfaction. According to the study
results "there would be highly significant cost savings if more management
of low back pain as transferred from physicians to chiropractors." There
is also good empirical evidence that patients are very satisfied with
chiropractic management of low back pain and considerably less satisfied
with physician management.
Manga, et al. The Effectiveness and cost Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain. Ministry of Health, Government of Ontario, September 1993.
Fewer Work Days Lost With
Chiropractic Management
This workers' compensation study published in the Chiropractic
Journal of Australia compared chiropractic and medical management of
1,996 cases of work-related mechanical low back pain. The number of
compensation days (paid days off from work) taken by claimants was found
to be significantly lower an average of 6.26 days for chiropractic patients
and 25.56 days for medical patients. The average cost of compensation
for chiropractic management was $392 and for medical management, $1,569
or four times greater than chiropractic management.
Findings included:
- A significant reduction was seen in the number of claimants requiring compensation days when chiropractic care was chosen.
- Fewer compensation days were taken by claimants who chose chiropractic care.
- More patients progressed to chronic status when medical care was chosen.
- The average payment per claim was greater with medical management.
"Mechanical Low-Back Pain: A Comparison of Medical and Chiropractic Management Within the Victorian WorkCare Scheme," Ebrall, P.S. Chiropractic Journal of Australia, June 1992, 22:2, 48-53
Journal of Occupational MedicineśCompensation Costs Ten Times Lower
In direct comparison, compensation costs for chiropractic patients were ten times lower than medical costs according to this published report. This study, found in the August 1991 Journal of Occupational Medicine, assessed the total cost for back injury claims from the 1986 Workers' Compensation Fund of Utah. Researchers used standard matching diagnostic codes for patients with back injuries who were treated by either doctors of chiropractic or medical doctors.
Findings included:
- Compensation costs were ten times lower for chiropractic doctors' patients ($68) than for medical doctors' patients ($668)
- Treatment costs were "significantly higher" for medical doctors ($684) than for chiropractic doctors ($527).
- Medical patients received an average of 54.5 days of compensation while chiropractic patients needed and average of only 34.3 days of compensation.
- Patients under care see a DC three times more frequently (12.9 visits) than a medical doctor (4.9 visits) but at a less cost overall.
"Costs Per Case Comparison of Back Injury Claims of Chiropractic Versus Medical Management for Conditions with Identical Diagnostic Codes," Jarvis et al. Journal of Occupational Medicine, August 1991; 33:8, 847-852.
No individuals, including those under our active care, should use the information, resources or tools contained within to self-diagnosis or self-treat any health-related condition. Diagnosis and treatment of all health conditions should only be performed by the doctor or other licensed health care professional.