Utility of a Standardized, Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Program for Chronic Low Back Pain - Abstract
The relative effectiveness of a multidisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation program, designed for patients with chronic lumbar disorders, was assessed. Patient outcome data over two years were collected and associative changes in outcome measurements were analyzed. For 6,340 patients enrolled in this prototype program, satisfaction ratings were 90% at both follow-up evaluations at one and two months. In general, female patients profited more from the intervention as compared to men. Of the patients with return to work data, 90.2% resumed work by four months. After two years, patient usage of prescription and non-prescription medications declined by 47.1% and 33.9%, respectively. Eighty percent of the patients included in the program with the main aim to avoid surgery were successfully treated by conservative measures alone. In conclusion, following the initiation of a multidisciplinary outpatient program, chronic low back pain patients showed improvements in function, reduced pain, and reduced healthcare utilization.