New Report Praises Chiropractic Care
Many within the alternative medicine community are proponents of the potential physical health benefits of chiropractic care, both immediately and in the future. However what is often overlooked are the economic benefits of chiropractic care and how it can positively influence not only the patient’s spine, but the patient’s wallet.
A non-profit organization called the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), whose main goal is to encourage the idea that chiropractic care is of significant value in terms of overall health status, now has an important resource in defending their cause.
In recent weeks, F4CP has been promoting a report that accrued data regarding the cost-effective and economically viable qualities of chiropractic care for the past two years. The report was published by Optum, a global healthcare conglomerate that operates on three main principles; engaging the consumer, aligning care delivery, and modernizing the health system infrastructure.
The report outlines an interesting analysis of how chiropractic could positively impact the United States’ healthcare system in multiple facets. According to Optum, there were 14.7 million “non-surgical spinal episodes,” or spinal problems in which surgery was not performed. The report claims that had these episodes been remedied with chiropractic care from the onset of the problem, the United States healthcare system would have amassed a savings of $1.3 billion.
The F4CP has done some of its own research into the cost effectiveness of chiropractic care and has found that when chiropractic care is chosen over more invasive alternatives, such as surgery, the cost per treatment episode is reduced by 40%.
The United States’ healthcare system is surely overburdened in terms of both infrastructure and economics. The F4CP is so excited about this Optum report because they feel that it reaffirms their position in favor of chiropractic care. This form of alternative medicine is a potential way to help the United States healthcare system run more efficiently.
Founders of the F4CP, chiropractic doctors, and individuals who are confident in the potential effectiveness of chiropractic care are thrilled to have a specialized healthcare organization like Optum confirm their beliefs. They hope that this will be a major step in bringing adequate care to the portion of the American population experiencing back problems.
