For over 2 decades, the effectiveness, the cost-effectiveness and the safety of chiropractic care has been well known and has been recommended multiple times as a solution to our out-of- control health care costs. One of the first groundbreaking reports was published in1993, and funded by the Ministry of Health in Ontario, Canada. , It was the entitled, A Study to Examine the Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain, and it stated there would be “highly significant cost savings if more management of LBP was transferred from physicians to chiropractors. Evidence from Canada and other countries suggests potential saving of hundreds of millions annually.” This study recommended that chiropractors become the gatekeeper for back pain in Canada!
There have been many well researched and published studies since then all reaching similar conclusions; that chiropractic care besides being safe and effective also saves money. The politics of health care has slowed the implementation of all these studies and government inquires, until now.
Governor Kitzhaber, M.D., of Oregon just signed a Proclamation making October 2014, Oregon Chiropractic Health and Wellness Month! The fact that this proclamation was signed is huge, but even more amazing are the statements made in the Proclamation. Which include:
Whereas: Oregon and our nation has a growing health care crisis, the cost of which is                    having a profound impact on our state and national budgets; and

Whereas: The State of Oregon has a goal to produce healthy citizens rather than simply                  financing and delivering health care; and

Whereas: The State of Oregon Evidence based Low Back Pain Management                                  Guidelines recommend spinal manipulation as the only drug-free treatment                      for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain; and

Whereas: …Doctors of Chiropractic are primary care providers specializing in spinal                        manipulation but also on health promotion and wellness: and

Whereas: A seven-year prospective follow-up study analyzing 70,274 member-months                   of patients managed by doctors of chiropractic resulted in an 85% reduction in                 drug costs, 62% reduction in MRIs and surgeries, 60.2% reduction of in-                         hospital admissions, and a 59% reduction in hospital days; and

Whereas: Services of Doctors of Chiropractic result in improved health, satisfaction,                        safety and reduced per capita costs

(See the Official Proclamation Here)

If you’re reading this Blog, you probably have experienced first-hand the benefits of chiropractic care and know we treat much more than back pain. Back pain is a huge burden on our society. It is the 2nd most common reason that people visit their PCPs and it is also the number one cause of long-term disability. Politicians, like the Medical Doctor who is Governor of Oregon, who can think outside of the box, are starting to encourage a greater use of treatments that have stood up to the test of research on 3 key criteria: effectiveness; cost-effectiveness; and safety. Chiropractic care for back pain has met all 3 of these criteria.

We all seem to be paying more for health insurance these days and getting less coverage. If your notice that your chiropractic benefits are shrinking in your health insurance policies…don’t take it sitting down. Stick your neck out  Complain to your HR departments and make sure any correspondence gets cc’ed to your legislatures both in the Massachusetts and in Washington. If you want copies of the research showing the effectiveness, cost- effectiveness and safety of chiropractic care just let us know.

Enjoy the Fall and help us Celebrate October 2014as Chiropractic Health and Wellness Month at Performance Health Center. We will be having weekly raffles and working to promote spinal health in Natick and beyond!