BACKGROUND: Chiropractic has become well-established in the U.S. healthcare system, to the point that some wonder whether it makes sense to view chiropractic as an "alternative" health service any longer. But many questions remain about why patients visit chiropractors, and what are their outcomes? This presentation summarizes the results of a univariate analysis of the chiropractic visits found in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) database.
METHODOLOGY: The MEPS database reports on 530 adults who visited a chiropractor at least once during 1996. The MEPS data come from five interviews, each about six months apart, conducted over a 2-year period. The sampling techniques of MEPS make the findings representative of the U.S. population. We report on the univariate analysis of public use files of the MEPS database, looking at variables in the following categories:
1. Chiropractor as Usual Source of Healthcare 2. Chiropractic Utilization 3. Impact of Managed Care on Chiropractic Services 4. Content of Chiropractic Services 5. Visits to DC at Outpatient Department 6. Patient Satisfaction with Chiropractic Care 7. Chiropractor-MD Relationships 8. Financing and Reimbursement
RECOMMENDATIONS: Chiropractic services are widely used in the United States. Follow-up studies are needed to elucidate the condition-specific outcomes of chiropractic services using validated measures of morbidity, mortality, and patient satisfaction.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the methodology of the Medical Panel Expenditure Survey (MEPS). 2. Highlight selected findings from the MEPS database on chiropractic utilization, services, expenses, and outcomes. 3. Describe areas of needed research
Keywords: Chiropractic, Utilization
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.