Physical therapy episodes of care for patients with low back pain

Although individuals with low back pain frequently receive treatment from a physical therapist, few published studies exist that describe who sees a physical therapist for their low back pain nor is much known about physical therapy episodes of care for this condition. Secondary analysis of data from the American Physical Therapy Association's Survey of Physical Therapy Outpatient Practice provides new descriptive data on services provided to a national, representative sample of patients discharged from hospital-based and private outpatient practices. In addition, specific hypotheses were tested on clinical and background factors believed to influence low back pain episodes of care.

Patients with low back pain represented over 25% of all outpatient discharges from physical therapy practices.

A mail survey was conducted with representatives of a national probability sample of facilities that provided outpatient physical therapy services. Data were provided on each facility and on a discharge sample of patients treated at each facility.

On average, episodes of care extended over 5 weeks and consisted of 11 therapy visits, for an average charge of $766.70. Duration and charge for low back episodes of care did not differ, on average, in private versus hospital-based practices. Certain aspects of care, however, did vary across regions of the country. Episodes of care charged to workers' compensation were costlier than those charged to other insurance carriers, and whites were charged less, on average, than nonwhites. Duration of back symptoms was related to intensity, duration, and charges incurred for the episode of care.

Further research is needed to understand the reasons for the relationships observed in this study, as well as studies that relate care provided by physical therapists to specific patient outcomes. Further research is also needed to compare outcomes achieved across different health professions.