The research is in. Going directly to a PT or being referred to PT soon after the onset of low back pain substantially reduces the cost of care and the need for diagnostic tests and expensive procedures.
The Impact of Physical Therapist Services on Low Back Pain, a Milliman study commissioned by the Private Practice Section of APTA was published in April 2018. It confirmed results of a prior study that direct access or early physician referral to PT is associated with better clinical outcomes and less need for imaging tests, pain medication, pain injections and surgery.
If you have low back pain, schedule a consult with a NEPPN member clinic – within 1 week of back pain onset for the best results at the lowest cost. Our physical therapists have extensive training in manual therapy and exercise approaches that address the source of your pain and dysfunction versus just masking the pain with pain medication or opioids. And our services are, on average, half the cost of the same hospital-based PT services. You do not need a physician referral unless your health plan requires it for insurance coverage. Many of our NEPPN clinics offer a discount when patients pay out-of-pocket if you do not have insurance coverage.
Exercise your right to choose quality, cost-effective providers!