Managed care interface
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Managed care interface · Feb 1998
Chronic low back pain: new perspectives and treatment guidelines for primary care: Part I.
Low back pain is a leading cause of work-related disability and has important socioeconomic consequences. Although there is little evidence to determine the optimal treatment of chronic low back pain, treatment goals can be established. Primary care providers should focus on pain management, improvement of activity and functional level, and fostering a greater understanding of chronic low back pain. This two-part article summarizes consensus guidelines developed by practitioners with expertise in pain management, family medicine, internal medicine, physical therapy, rheumatology, and managed care, and provides direction for primary care providers on a multidisciplinary approach to the patient with chronic low back pain.
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Managed care has changed the face of the health care system. Providers who schedule care have responded and modified their systems of delivery and provision of care. ⋯ This market is much more difficult to control and reconstruct. This article discusses the role of emergency medicine within a managed care system and future opportunities.