Treatment for uncomplicated low back pain varies widely. While most physicians follow the recommended approach of pain management and gradual return to physical activity, some prematurely prescribe costly imaging, epidural steroid injections-or refer their patients to surgery.
NCQA’s new Back Pain Recognition Program (BPRP) seeks to recognize physicians and chiropractors who deliver superior care to millions of Americans who suffer from low back pain. The BPRP program consists of 13 clinical measures and three structural standards such as the elements of the physical exam and advice for the return to normal activities. These requirements address the broad spectrum of low back pain and focus on underuse, misuse and overuse of treatment modalities.
NCQA developed BPRP requirements from widely accepted medical evidence, with significant input from physician specialists and health plan and employer representatives.
Eligible physicians will abstract data from the charts of 35 low back pain patients and submit this information to NCQA for review along with documentation of patient education and evaluation of patient experience.