How to Fix a Broken System: Caring for Spine Pain and Disability

TUSTIN, Calif., Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Low back and neck pain are the number one cause of disability in the world. Eight out of 10 people will suffer from back or neck pain at some point in their life and treatment costs billions of dollars each year. Adding to this burden are other spine conditions such as osteoporosis, arthritis, scoliosis, fractures, cancer and infections. However, no comprehensive model of care is available to address spine-related concerns, which is why currently spine care is costly and confusing.

The Global Spine Care Initiative (GSCI) was created to address this problem by developing a sustainable model to address spine-related disability. The GSCI collaborative is made of 68 experts from 24 countries. Beginning work in 2014, the team of medical specialists, physical therapists, doctors of chiropractic, other healthcare providers and participants developed a new model of care through a consensus process. The resulting series of 15 papers that will be published in a special issue of the European Spine Journal, include literature reviews, a classification system to triage spine concerns, an evidence-based care pathway to recommend the safest and most effective care and recommendations how to implement the new model anywhere in the world.  

The model is founded on eight principles (person-centered, people-centered, biopsychosocial, proactive, evidence-based, integrative, collaborative and self-sustaining care) aimed at transforming how spine care is delivered. The model includes integrated levels of care to assure that patients with any spine-related concern or disorder will get the right care. The primary level of care, which is the type of care most commonly used, includes non-invasive and conservative approaches such as those used in medicine, chiropractic, physical therapy and other health care professions.

Earlier this year, leading spine authorities published a call for a change in spine care saying, "there is a need to identify cost-effective and context-specific strategies for managing low back pain to mitigate the consequences of the current and projected future burden."

Scott Haldeman, DC, MD, PhD, FRCP(C), president of World Spine Care and principal investigator of the GSCI, noted "the GSCI model answers the call to action from international authorities and recommendations from the World Health Organization. Our model is a new approach to spinal disorders and is believed to be the first attempt at a comprehensive care pathway. Working together, we hope to make life better for many people whose lives are being impacted by spinal disorders and who need access to help, especially people in medically underserved communities and low- and middle-income countries. We encourage clinicians in all healthcare professions to learn this model of spine care and apply it in their daily practices."

About the Global Spine Care Initiative (GSCI) and World Spine Care (WSC)
The Global Spine Care Initiative (GSCI) was convened by World Spine Care (WSC). WSC is a charitable, non-profit corporation consisting of healthcare professionals who provide high-quality, evidence-based, culturally integrated prevention, assessment, treatment and community education programs for spinal disorders in underserved communities around the world.

Contact: Claire Johnson
Phone: +1 (630) 297-3290 
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Global Spine Care Initiative