Virtual solutions: Making space for employees to obtain appropriate care
When accessing MSK care depends on proximity to a provider and readily available transportation, childcare and time away from work, that care is out of reach for many Americans. Research shows that 73% of patients miss at least one in-person physical therapy appointment.14 This is a particular threat for shift workers who typically can’t afford to take unpaid time off to attend multiple in-person appointments. Another challenge may be travel time. The average American spends 34 minutes in the car (provided they have one, which many do not15) to obtain medical care,16 with those in rural areas often subjected to much farther distances.
Employer-sponsored virtual solutions help erode these common barriers, making MSK care more accessible for all.17 These solutions include telehealth appointments with a licensed provider or online resources such as video exercises employees can perform on their own time.
Virtual solutions can also help to mitigate shortcomings that employees may experience in their medical care. For instance, rates of chronic pain are higher in rural areas than urban, yet research shows rural patients are less likely to have a provider recommend nonmedication interventions, such as physical therapy.18 Similarly, Black patients suffering acute back pain are 63% more likely to receive opioid-only therapy from a provider than white patients, who tend to receive physical therapy referrals along with opioid therapies.19 That disparity may stem, in part, from the provider’s own resource limitations and access issues. Just 22% of physicians provide care for 80% of Black Americans, and these providers report limited access to health care resources such as specialists.20 Virtual solutions can help expand a provider’s toolbox and better meet patient needs — and employers can play a valuable role in filling in these gaps.
To meet the needs of diverse patient populations with varied preferences, digital fluencies and MSK conditions, employers should cover a wide array of virtual offerings. That might mean telehealth appointments with a provider, asynchronous video consults or self-directed digital resources, such as lessons on musculoskeletal anatomy or guided meditations designed to ease pain-exacerbating stress.