RS-4i® Plus: Effective Pain Treatment that Saves Money
Pain. It affects 100 million American adults each year, according to the Journal of Pain It is estimated that the cost of pain ranges from $560 to $635 billion annually, based on the costs attributable to treating pain and pain associated with lost and reduced worker productivity*.
Putting that into perspective, this estimate exceeds the costs of the most common major diagnoses—cardiovascular disease ($309 billion), neoplasms ($243 billion), injury and poisoning ($205 billion), endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases ($127 billion), digestive system diseases ($112 billion), and respiratory system diseases ($112 billion).
In fact, the economic costs associated with pain are probably understated for several reasons. Perhaps most importantly, the estimates do not account for the costs of treating nursing home residents, military personnel or prison inmates. Persons under the age of 24 were also excluded, as were working people over the age of 65.
Ever-Growing Costs Give Rise to New Solutions
Given the systemic costs connected to chronic pain, there is considerable incentive for treatment options that reduce costs while offering measurable results.
Beginning in 2015, RS Medical began tracking outcome for patients who utilized the RS-4i Plus for relieving pain and improving muscle function and activity. The project involved capturing assessments from patients who had been prescribed the RS-4i Plus for treatment of a variety of painful muscle conditions. These assessments are the product of patient-reported data before (Baseline) and after (21+ day Follow-up) incorporating the RS-4i Plus into their treatment protocol.
The data was collected by RS Medical representatives both in-person and over the phone. The assessment questions were not exclusive to RS Medical. They were adapted from the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM) Defense & Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) and Supplementary Questionnaire.
Now with data from more than 26,800 patients, assessments show that respondents suffering from severe to moderate pain (Baseline of 7 or higher) experienced a medically meaningful 46 percent decrease in pain. Those who had pain that interfered with activity reported a 35 percent reduction in that pain. There are additional benefits related to improved sleep, mood, stress and spasms, as shown in the graphic below.
Savings are the Extra Bonus to Quality Pain Care
The cost savings for patients who reported going from severe to low pain was over $7,700. Using numbers related to the cost of treating pain from the Journal of Pain article, the economic benefits of using the RS-4i Plus to reduce pain and improve function amount to more than $100 million*. That number is based on the combined savings per patient in the surveyed groups**.
These findings suggest that the RS-4i Plus is a viable, cost saving treatment option for patients who suffer from chronic pain. Additionally, for organizations faced with cost cuts or budget shortfalls, the RS-4i Plus could be considered an effective choice for helping treat chronic pain patients while also managing the bottom line.
*Cost Savings based on study findings from the American Pain Society, The Journal of Pain, Vol 13, No 8 (August), 2012 pp 715-724, "The Economic Costs of Pain in the United States", D.J. Gaskin and P. Richard. Cost data has not been adjusted for medical cost inflation since the time of the study.
Take the Next Step
Healthcare Practitioners
If you are interested in a more detailed review of the RS-4i Plus mechanisms of action and clinical evidence, we invite you to request a demonstration.
Patients
The RS-4i Plus requires a prescription. If you are interested in discussing this drug-free pain relief solution with your healthcare practitioner, download our patient discussion guide to help start a conversation.