Physical therapy for the workforce
August 2, 2023 by Keely Knopp
It’s no secret that health care spending is a growing concern among many employers — becoming one of the largest costs after payroll for the average American company.
All over the country, businesses are faced with finding creative, evidence-based solutions that benefit both the worker and their bottom line. And, often, these searches lead employers straight to physical therapists, whose training, knowledge and cost-effective services have been proven to lower health care costs, lessen the impact of pain and opioids and keep employees healthy, happy, strong and productive.
How physical therapy works for your workforce
As specialists in movement and body systems, physical therapists are among the leading experts in nonsurgical care, health and well-being. While patients may often think of physical therapists as solely experts in post-injury rehabilitation, these professionals are also proactive partners in preventative care.
Of course, the longer a health problem persists before being addressed, the more damage it can inflict. Sometimes, if left untreated, this damage can be irreversible, costing employers and employees alike. But, when a problem is caught in its early stages, physical therapists are often able to slow or even reverse the progress of certain health issues — including heart disease, diabetes, chronic pain, arthritis and pregnancy-related complications — to improve an individual’s quality of life and save you and your workforce ample time, money and distress.
Take spinal and movement-related pain for an example: According to the American Physical Therapy Association, typical care for neck and back pain begins (against common recommendations) with medications, imaging, injections and possible surgery — resulting in added premium costs of $4,000 per person per year. However, research and clinical trials have indicated that, at the onset of pain, most employees only require two physical therapist visits to cut spending by more than half and reduce time away from work. Additionally, treating spinal pain with physical therapy within one or two weeks of onset can decrease spending by more than $1,200 per patient per episode.
Mercy Motion can bring these health experts (and their savings) to you
Mercy Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine is pleased to offer physical therapy services to your workforce through Mercy Motion, available to employers and individuals of all ages in the Asheville area.
Mercy’s team of physical therapists can work collaboratively with your company to:
- identify and analyze employer challenges, such as health care spending and health-related employee productivity issues, define the scope and top risks of the problem, and then work toward a solution.
- create customized programs with the goal of lowering health care costs and premiums, improving employee satisfaction and productivity, reducing absenteeism and decreasing risk of legal claims due to health problems.
- meet the health care needs of your specific employee population by working with individuals on musculoskeletal conditions, rehabilitative care, fitness and other preemptive measures.
For individuals, Mercy’s physical therapists can reduce or alleviate pain and help them regain function through a variety of different treatments, including therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, functional training, neuromuscular re-education and more.
To learn more about Mercy Motion, including how physical therapy can cut health care costs and improve well-being for you and your employees, contact Jon Medin at 828.252.3443 or jmedin@mercyurgentcare.org.
