Journal Article

Temporal Relationship Between Lumbar Spine Surgeries, Return to Work, and Workers’ Compensation Costs in a Cohort of Injured Workers

Lavin, Robert A., Tao, Xuguang, Yuspeh, Larry, Bernacki, Edward J.

2013

Overview

OBJECTIVE:Determine the relationship between time to surgery, lost time, and insurance costs. METHOD:A cohort of 582 claimants undergoing lumbar spine surgery (1999 to 2002) in the state of Louisiana was observed for 7 years. RESULTS:The shorter the time interval between injury and first lumbar surgery, the lower the cost and time lost from work. Average days lost from work and claim costs for 42% of those undergoing early lumbar surgery did not differ from injured workers who lost time from work for claims not involving lumbar surgery. Claim cost for the remaining 58% who had delayed surgery was 5.7 times greater than that for the early surgery cohort. CONCLUSION:The decision to perform lumbar surgery is not necessarily associated with high claim costs or longer time out from work, provided that the determination to operate is early.

• Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a business of Wolters Kluwer Health,The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine,Lippincott Williams & Wilkins,Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subject: Back surgery / Biological and medical sciences / Diskectomy - economics / Fast Track Article / Health care expenditures / Humans / Laminectomy - economics / Longitudinal Studies / Louisiana / Low Back Pain - economics / Low Back Pain - surgery / Lumbar Vertebrae / Medical sciences / Occupational accidents / Occupational health / Occupational Injuries - economics / Occupational Injuries - surgery / Occupational medicine / Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine / Return to Work - economics / Return to work programs / Sick Leave - economics / Spinal Fusion - economics / Spine / Time Factors / Workers' compensation / Workers' Compensation - economics