Increase in Chiropractic Patients With Work-Related Injuries – (08-25-00)

Increase in Chiropractic Patients With Work-Related Injuries

Chiropractic is the natural choice for work injuries, and many studies suggest that chiropractic is cheaper with better results than non-chiropractic treatment. Although this would make one think that chiropractic would be a wise first choice, that has not been the case in the past. This attitude does seem to be changing.

Medical biases against doctors of chiropractic in the workers’ compensation arena are beginning to fade, as new research points to chiropractic’s effectiveness at getting workers back on their feet more quickly and less expensively than traditional medical care, according to the July issue of the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association. As a result, some doctors of chiropractic are experiencing an increase in the number of patients with work-related injuries who are being referred to them by medical doctors. America’s medical bias becomes particularly evident with companies that have international investments, says Robert Sherman, Esq, general counsel for the Ohio State Chiropractic Association. The Japanese, for example, advocate the most cost-effective healthcare provider while their American counterparts lean toward medical doctors. During the past 5 years, however, he finds that the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment and the resulting cost savings to employers and insurers are helping to reverse traditional thinking.