[Multidisciplinary outpatient clinics for back pain patients--a new treatment program]

Chronic low back pain (LBP) represents a major health problem, especially in Western Europe and North America. The aim of this study is to give an account of why a multidisciplinary treatment program in an outpatient spine clinic is the best treatment for many sub-acute and chronic LBP patients on long-term sick leave. We present an overview of documented treatment effects from multidisciplinary treatment programmes, an outline of the treatment in an outpatient spine clinic, and an account of why multidisciplinary programs are beneficial. The treatment of this patient group is also shown to be cost-effective when one differentiates between light and extensive multidisciplinary programmes. A future challenge rests in the fact that even after optimal treatment, approximately 20 % of patients still do not return to work.