Overcoming Overuse Part 2: Defining and Quantifying Health Care Overuse for Musculoskeletal Conditions

Abstract

In this series on "Overcoming Overuse," we explore the issue of health care overuse and how it may be identified in musculoskeletal physical therapy. In part 2, we frame health care overuse as a continuum from overuse to appropriate care, and consider how to measure overuse. We describe how overuse can be defined within a framework of care that is ineffective, inefficient, and misaligned, depending on the perspective of the person delivering or receiving care-the clinician, society, or patient. To ensure that musculoskeletal health care is of high value and sustainable, we encourage physical therapists to reflect on their practice. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2020;50(11):588-591. doi:10.2519/jospt.2020.0109.

Keywords: appropriate care; health care; musculoskeletal; physical therapy; provider; services.