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Review
. 2021 Nov 10:2:781433.
doi: 10.3389/fpain.2021.781433. eCollection 2021.

Multidisciplinary Firms and the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Case Study of Low Back Pain

Julie G Pilitsis  1   2 , Olga Khazen  2 , Nikolai G Wenzel  3
Affiliations
Review

Multidisciplinary Firms and the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Case Study of Low Back Pain

Julie G Pilitsis et al. Front Pain Res (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Sixteen million people suffer with chronic low back pain and related healthcare expenditures can be as high as $USD 635 billion. Current pain treatments help a significant number of acute pain patients, allowing them to obtain various treatments and then "exit the market for pain services" quickly. However, chronic patients remain in pain and need multiple, varying treatments over time. Often, a single pain provider does not oversee their care. Here, we analyze the current pain market and suggest ways to establish a new treatment paradigm. We posit that more cost effective treatment and better pain relief can be achieved with multi-disciplinary care with a provider team overseeing care.

Keywords: acute pain; chronic pain; chronic pain market; cost sharing; multidisciplinary pain clinic.

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Conflict of interest statement

JP is a consultant for Boston Scientific, Nevro, Medtronic, Saluda and Abbott and receives grant support from Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Abbott, Nevro, NIH 2R01CA166379-06 and NIH U44NS115111. She is the medical advisor for Aim Medical Robotics and Karuna and has stock equity. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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