General Advice
Cost effectiveness of physiotherapy
Physiotherapy treatment especially for chronic (long-standing) condition could be costly. Research in cost effectiveness of physiotherapy is scarce. A research (Neumann et al 2005a) performed in Australia showed physiotherapy was an effective and risk-free treatment, which should be recommended as a first-line approach for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) before consideration of surgery. The study showed up to 84 per cent of women with SUI could be dry with continence physiotherapy, and cure rates equaled to surgery for these women. A further study found that physiotherapy management of female stress urinary incontinence costs on average $302 while surgical management costs between $4,668 and $6,124 (Neumann et al 2005b). According to data obtained from Medicare Australia there were more than 4500 surgical procedures for SUI performed in 2007. At an average cost of $5000 per procedure, this equated to a total outlay in excess of $23 million. The cost of successfully treating 84 per cent of those women with conservative physiotherapy would be $1.2 million. Therefore the potential savings on this one intervention alone were in excess of $15 million per year.
Although such research result may not be applied directly to the treatment of musculo-skeletal conditions, it did indicate that physiotherapy treatment could be cost effective for varies conditions. Chronic knee and patello-femoral (knee cap) joint problems may lead to early degeneration and eventually surgery. Arthroscopy (key hole surgery) and knee replacement are not uncommon. Early conservative physiotherapy treatment with joint mobilizations, mobility, stretching and strengthening exercises, general advice and self-treatment techniques may minimize trauma and prevent early degeneration, hence reducing the need for costly surgical procedures. The same applies to many neck and back and other musculo-skeletal conditions, especially when patients are seen early and if they comply with instructions.
References Neumann PB, Grimmer KA, Grant RE, Gill VA (2005a) Physiotherapy for female stress urinary incontinence.
A multicentre observational study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynacecology 45:226-232.
Neumann PB, Grimmer KA, Grant RE, Gill VA (2005b) The costs and benefits of physiotherapy as first-line treatment for female stress urinary incontinence. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 29: 416-421.
Luck LI
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
Although such research result may not be applied directly to the treatment of musculo-skeletal conditions, it did indicate that physiotherapy treatment could be cost effective for varies conditions. Chronic knee and patello-femoral (knee cap) joint problems may lead to early degeneration and eventually surgery. Arthroscopy (key hole surgery) and knee replacement are not uncommon. Early conservative physiotherapy treatment with joint mobilizations, mobility, stretching and strengthening exercises, general advice and self-treatment techniques may minimize trauma and prevent early degeneration, hence reducing the need for costly surgical procedures. The same applies to many neck and back and other musculo-skeletal conditions, especially when patients are seen early and if they comply with instructions.
References Neumann PB, Grimmer KA, Grant RE, Gill VA (2005a) Physiotherapy for female stress urinary incontinence.
A multicentre observational study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynacecology 45:226-232.
Neumann PB, Grimmer KA, Grant RE, Gill VA (2005b) The costs and benefits of physiotherapy as first-line treatment for female stress urinary incontinence. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 29: 416-421.
Luck LI
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist