Employer Case Study: An Evidence-Based Approach to Address High Musculoskeletal Claims and Mental Health

1 out of 2 of your employees likely has a musculoskeletal (MSK) condition such as chronic back or joint pain, which is why MSK claims are consistently a top medical spend driver for employers and health plans. Researchers have uncovered a phenomenon called the “depression-pain dyad” where chronic pain increases the risk for depression and depression increases the perceived severity of pain; both conditions need to be addressed together for better long-term outcomes. Learn how PwC chose and implemented a comprehensive digital musculoskeletal care solution that reduced MSK pain better than opioids, cut depression and anxiety rates in half and addressed high medical spend by avoiding 2 out of 3 surgeries. After completing this session, participants will be able to: (1) Understand the connection between musculoskeletal conditions and psychological health, (2) Recognize the barriers to behavioral change and how to overcome them to engage employees, and (3) Understand key evaluation criteria when selecting a digital health solutions to ensure impact on patient engagement, behavioral change and medical spend.