As background information, the researchers described why alternatives to pharmacologic management, such as CBT and exercise, are necessary:
"In the United States, mean per-patient costs, including the following:
- pain and non-pain-related medication,
- physician consultations,
- tests and procedures,
- and emergency department visits
...in the six months following a new diagnosis of fibromyalgia were $3,481"The researchers compared telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (TCBT), graded exercise, combined intervention, or treatment as usual (control group). The results are shown in this chart:
| Rate of Positive Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time Frame | Control group | TCBT group | Exercise group | Combined Exercise and TCBT |
| 6 months (end of intervention) | 8.1% | 29.9% | 34.8% | 37.2% |
| 9 month follow-up | 8.3% | 32.6% | 24.2% | 37.1% |
Cognitive Behavior Therapy...
"...represent a management strategy that puts patients firmly in charge.
The skills learned in CBT, for example, are available after hours and over long weekends and do not require monthly refills
Moreover, because CBT can be administered by telephone, this intervention is convenient and can be made available to a wide range of patients."The implications for physical therapists practicing in "traditional" settings with standard techniques and interventions are these:
- Notice the deterioration of exercise-only 9-month outcomes - we know this to be true since most patients don't stick with their exercises once they start feeling better.
- The TCBT group treatment were delivered over the telephone - this new delivery method is a threat to our traditional, clinic or hospital-based delivery and payment structure.
- Presumably, similar technologies such as the following:
- Voice Over-Internet-Protocol (VOiP, or Skype),
- Simple Message Syndication (SMS, or text),
- social networks or
- old-fashioned e-mail
I'd be curious to hear about therapist treating chronic pain patients using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I would like to learn some of these techniques.
I believe behavior-based interventions using non-traditional delivery methods represent the future for our profession.
Thoughts?
