Musculoskeletal (MSK)
MSK care is too expensive (in ways you may not have considered)
MSK. A three-letter abbreviation for musculoskeletal conditions (back, hips, knees, shoulders) that rings in the mind of disability and employee benefits professionals. High-cost claimants. Long leave periods. Productivity diminished. Employees lost. Bills escalated. Lives changed. According to the Integrated Benefits Institute, MSK-related issues lead to: 756k short-term disability claims each year in the US (that’s…
Read MoreOpioids: The dangers of re-exposure and how we can be part of the solution
Meet Brett. Heavily involved in high school sports, a shoulder injury led to surgery. And that, as it does for millions of patients each year, led to a prescription for opioids to manage the pain. With that decision, the script changed. But not immediately. Brett recovered and moved on with his life, which included a…
Read MoreOutpatient Surgery is Getting Attention from the Largest Players in Healthcare
Right patient, right place, right time, and right care is a mantra of appropriateness within healthcare. And increasingly when it comes to surgery, healthcare leaders believe “right place” means outpatient, especially in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC). UnitedHealth Group’s 2020 Sustainability Report included a 10-year goal to deliver 55% of outpatient surgeries and radiology services at…
Read MoreThe Risk of Costly Suboptimal Surgery Has Never Been Greater
The Risk of Suboptimal Surgery Has Never Been Greater (due to Covid-19) Thankfully, rays of sunlight have appeared through the darkness of the Covid-19 pandemic. As life returns to “normal,” healthcare no doubt will resume traditional patterns as well. This leaves business, employee benefits and human resource leaders facing critical questions, including: How do I…
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