On May 16th, VIMG sponsored a tent and ‘jumpy house’ for the Boot Days festival in Eagle. More than 1,500 participants took part in Eagle’s fun and sun along with the 10K Bone yard Boogie. Physical therapists’ Miki and Dave Blanchard along with Dr. Stanzel provided free injury assessments and consultations throughout the day. Most of these came from mid air collisions in the jumpy house!
as the jumpy house...just older crowd!
I had an opportunity to spend a morning with Scott Fonda, DC, DACBO in the medical trailer at this recent PGA Tour event. Scott has been on the staff for the PGA for the past 3 years. Days working as the staff chiropractor are long (5:30 am to as late as 7:00 pm) but he says that working with the PGA players is extremely rewarding. Many of the players are very interested in a higher level of fitness and health that focus on strength, agility and endurance. Golf (and travel) is very demanding on the spine so many players get worked on daily when at an event. The ‘team’ is comprised of two physical therapists, a chiropractor and the medical director.
| "...89 percent of the Wellmark members treated in the pilot reported a greater than 30 percent improvement in 30 days. . . . The comparison showed that those who received chiropractic or physical therapy care were less likely to have surgery and experienced lower total health care costs." |
Data from participating clinicians show that 89 percent of the Wellmark members treated in the pilot reported a greater than 30 percent improvement in 30 days.
In addition, Wellmark claims data for members who received care from chiropractors or physical therapists was compared with data for a member population with similar demographics (including health) who did not receive such services. The comparison showed that those who received chiropractic or physical therapy care were less likely to have surgery and experienced lower total health care costs.
Commenting on the value of the program's data collection and reporting, Dr. Shayan Sheybani, clinics operations administrator at Palmer College of Chiropractic, said the following: "The faculty, staff, and interns of the Palmer Clinics were able to objectively and consistently gather valuable information for services provided for our Wellmark patients that support the College's commitment to providing quality patient care. Overall, we have a positive impression of this program, and we are planning to continue our participation during the 2009 fiscal year. Continued participation in Wellmark's pilot satisfies our desire to contribute to new knowledge, continual improvements, and the development of quality-focused patient care."
Pamela A. Duffy, PT, PhD, OCS, Wellmark's physical medicine director, believes the results are reflective of the participants' commitment and dedication to providing quality care. "Participants in our first pilot on quality are dedicated to pursuing professional development, improving quality health care, and helping their patients live the most productive and pain-free lives possible. Wellmark is very pleased with the clinical outcomes demonstrated by these practitioners, and will continue working with providers to design programs that help evaluate the value of physical medicine services for members."
Triad Healthcare will continue to administer the 2009 program for Wellmark, which is open to participating Wellmark medical and osteopathic physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, physical therapists, and occupational therapists in
Wellmark, Inc., does business as Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. Wellmark and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, including Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc., insure or pay health benefit claims for more than 2 million members in
Source: Wellmark
