Research Article: Opioid Initiation Within One Year After Starting a Digital Musculoskeletal (MSK) Program: An Observational, Longitudinal Study with Comparison Group
Abstract:
In-person conservative care is a best practice for managing chronic MSK pain and may help to prevent people from starting opioids (ie, opioid initiation). We did this study to see if conservative care delivered digitally might also lower opioid initiation. Using medical claims data, we identified people with MSK needs who did not have any opioid prescriptions one year before starting a digital MSK program or in-person physical therapy (PT). We found that .% of members of a digital MSK program had new opioid prescriptions within one year of starting the program. In contrast, .% of patients in PT had new opioid prescriptions within one year after PT.
Introduction:
Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders affected . million Americans in and greatly contributed to disability worldwide. , MSK disorders were the third most prevalent diseases or injuries in the U.S in and have been the primary reasons for healthcare spending over time. In , payers spent $. billion on MSK disorders.
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