Percentage of patients at least 18 years of age and younger than 80 with a diagnosis of back pain for whom the physician ordered imaging studies during the six weeks after pain onset, in the absence of “red flags” (overuse measure, lower performance is better).
Percentage of patients at least 18 years of age and younger than 80 with back pain who have received an epidural steroid injection in the absence of radicular pain AND those patients with radicular pain who received an epidural steroid injection without image guidance (i.e. overuse measure, lower performance is better).
Percentage of patients at least 18 years of age and younger than 80 with a diagnosis of back pain who have medical record documentation of all of the following on the date of the initial visit to the physician:
1. Pain assessment
2. Functional status
3. Patient history, including notation of presence or absence of “red flags”
4. Assessment of prior treatment and response, and
5. Employment status
The percentage of patients at least 18 years of age and younger than 80 with a diagnosis of back pain for whom documentation of a mental health assessment is present in the medical record prior to intervention or when pain lasts more than 6 weeks.
Percentage of patients at least 18 years of age and younger than 80 with back pain with documentation that the physician conducted reassessment of both of the following within four to six weeks of their initial back pain visit or of a surgical procedure date:
1) Pain AND
2) Functional status
Percentage of patients at least 18 years of age and younger than 80 with a back pain episode of 28 days or more with documentation of a physical examination on the date of the initial visit with the physician.
Percentage of patients at least 18 years of age and younger than 80 with back pain lasting more than 12 weeks, with documentation of physician advice for supervised exercise.
Percentage of patients at least 18 years of age and younger than 80 with a back pain episode of 28 days or more who received inappropriate repeat imaging studies in the absence of red flags or progressive symptoms (overuse measure, lower performance is better).
Percentage of patients at least 18 years of age and younger than 80 with back pain with whom a physician or other clinician reviewed the range of treatment options, including alternatives to surgery prior to surgery. To demonstrate shared decision making, there must be documentation in the patient record of a discussion between the physician and the patient that includes all of the following.
1) Treatment choices, including alternatives to surgery;
2) Risks and benefits;
3) Evidence of effectiveness
Percentage of patients at least 18 years of age and younger than 80 with a back pain episode of 28 days or more without documentation of red flags who had surgery within the first six weeks of back pain onset (overuse measure, lower performance is better).
Note: This measure is applicable only for physicians who perform surgery.