Dr. Ian Coulter, RAND / Samueli chair for integrative medicine and senior health policy researcher for the RAND Corporation, has issued a call for participation, recruiting doctors of chiropractic for a practice-based research study that will examine "the impact of evidence, outcomes, costs and patient preferences on the choice of treatment for chronic low back pain and neck pain." The national study will be conducted in and around six regions – Dallas, Texas; San Diego, Calif.; Minneapolis, Minn.; White Plains / Yonkers, N.Y.; Portland, Ore.; and Tampa, Fla. – and will compensate both clinics and patients for their participation.
Eligibility criteria for licensed chiropractors interested in participating include the following: work in a stand-alone (community) chiropractic practice, solo or multi-provider practice, or chiropractic-only or integrative practice; see a minimum of 25 patients per week; and in practice for a minimum of five years. DCs / clinics based in chiropractic schools, hospitals, Veterans Administration or Department of Defense health care facilities, or clinics in which more than 50 percent of patients on worker's compensation or personal-injury claims are not eligible to participate.
Participating DCs / clinics will assist with recruiting patients to the study; the research team will contact all patients to determine eligibility and assist them in completing multiple Web-based surveys during the three-month study period. Surveys will assess patient experiences with chronic LBP / neck pain, as well as their experiences / preferences related to chiropractic care, including costs of care. The research team will also review all patient charts during the study period to gather data regarding medical history, treatments received and outcomes.
Funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the study has three primary goals, according to Dr. Coulter:
- To understand better ways to assess appropriateness within complementary and alternative medicine, such as chiropractic care
- To determine how the inclusion of patient perspectives and cost impacts measures of appropriateness
- To learn about patient preferences and experiences related to treating back pain and neck pain
For additional information or to volunteer to participate, email the research team at chirostudy@rand.org or contact Dr. Coulter directly at coulter@rand.org. The recruitment window is open through the end of 2016.
