Diagnosing Chronic Pain Using Evidence-based Medicine Could Improve Outcomes, Reduce Costs for Work Comp Claims

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Apr 23, 2015, 03:44 ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Keith Rosenblum, a Senior Strategist for Workers' Compensation Risk Control in Lockton's Kansas City operation, addresses the importance of using evidence-based medicine for accurate diagnoses and proper treatment in his recent white paper: "Red Herrings and Medical Overdiagnosis Drive Large-Loss Workers' Compensation Claims."

When it comes to workers' compensation claims, low back injuries are the most costly musculoskeletal condition, representing 20-25 percent of all loss dollars. The use of MRIs and CT scans has increased substantially to diagnose and dictate treatment for chronic low back pain. Medical imaging drives up the cost of claims, yet outcomes for injured workers have not improved.

In chronic pain cases, medical imaging findings are often red herrings. In medicine, a red herring is a diagnosis made based on poor science or inaccurate criteria. False certainty is created, and the search for the actual problem ends. The real source of pain and distress usually lies elsewhere, but treatments options, usually pain medication, are aimed at the abnormality showing in the spinal imaging.

Medical imaging can also result in overdiagnosis, when a physician labels a condition more serious than it truly is, attributing a usually benign condition to more serious causes than the scientific data and situation warrant. A clear example is diagnosing a condition that requires major surgery when the patient actually has a problem that needs a less hazardous and more helpful form of care.

"Opioids remain the de facto treatment for most workers with chronic pain," said Rosenblum. "Yet comprehensive reviews of medical literature show chronic pain is frequently caused by the brain itself, making traditional treatment ineffective. We are following and assessing new, innovative models in diagnostic technology that may ensure more accurate diagnosis and treatment."

From a claims perspective, Rosenblum believes intervening early in the claim, within 2 to 4 weeks, will allow a claims specialist to engage with the treating physician and encourage them to comply with medical treatment guidelines.

"Diagnosing patients' complaints based more on evidence-based medicine and less on imaging studies, where not recommended, will make a substantial impact on the cost of claims," said Rosenblum. "Most importantly, it will avoid many cases of unnecessary disability for working Americans."

About Lockton
More than 5,300 professionals at Lockton provide 41,000 clients around the world with risk management, insurance, and employee benefits consulting services that improve their businesses. From its founding in 1966 in Kansas City, Missouri, Lockton has attracted entrepreneurial professionals who have driven its growth to become the largest privately held, independent insurance broker in the world and 10th largest overall. Independent researcher Greenwich Associates has awarded Lockton its Service Excellence Award for risk management for large companies. For six consecutive years, Business Insurance has recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance." To see the latest insights from Lockton's experts, check Lockton Market Update.

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