Rapidity and Modality of Imaging for Acute Low Back Pain in Elderly Patients

May 25, 2009
Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 169, No. 10
Hoangmai H. Pham, Bruce Landon, James D. Reschovsky, Beny Wu, Deborah Schrag

Most quality metrics focus on underuse of services, leaving unclear what factors are associated with potential overuse. This study analyzed Medicare claims data from 2000-2002 and 2004-06 for 35,039 fee-for-service Medicare patients with acute low back pain who were treated by a primary care physician responding to the 2000-01 or 2004-05 HSC Community Tracking Study Physician Surveys.

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