Clinical Compass systematic review voted top published article of 2024 by Chiropractic and Manual Therapies

best published award 2024

March 8, 2025

This review by Farabaugh et al. compared the costs of chiropractic versus medical care for the management of spine-related musculoskeletal pain in U.S. adults. The team identified 44 high/acceptable-quality studies and found that care provided by chiropractors consistently resulted in fewer downstream services related to opioid prescriptions, surgeries, imaging, ER use, and hospitalizations. Patients initiating care with chiropractors experienced substantially lower overall healthcare costs. Further research using higher-level study designs is recommended to corroborate these findings.

These findings prompt a reconsideration of healthcare policies and benefit designs. Given the growing recognition of chiropractic care’s role in the medical landscape, it is increasingly evident that chiropractors integrated into healthcare teams could yield substantial financial savings for patients and systems. To align with the evolving trends in healthcare, it may be advantageous for U.S. healthcare organizations, third-party payers, and governmental agencies to explore avenues for reducing barriers to accessing chiropractic services. By embracing this shift, we can enhance patient outcomes while optimizing healthcare expenditure for management of musculoskeletal pain.

This paper is available open access (for free) on the journal website: CLICK HERE Please read it and share it with stakeholders in your local region. This work was supported in part by the Clinical Compass and the NCMIC Foundation.
Clinical Compass is a chiropractic clinical and research collaborative that generates best practices research through consensus-based models. In addition, Clinical Compass maintains regularly updated evidence centers for 17 different clinical topics such as dry needling, opioids, and cost-effectiveness. To support the work Clinical Compass, please go here: Donate – The Clinical Compass

Citation: Farabaugh R, Hawk C, Taylor D, Daniels C, Noll C, Schneider M, McGowan J, Whalen W, Wilcox R, Sarnat R, Suiter L, Whedon J. Cost of chiropractic versus medical management of adults with spine-related musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review. Chiropr Man Therap. 2024 Mar 6;32(1):8. doi: 10.1186/s12998-024-00533-4. PMID: 38448998; PMCID: PMC10918856.

The Editorial Board of Chiropractic & Manual Therapies voted the following article as

the best published in the journal in 2024.

Cost of chiropractic versus medical management of adults with spine-related musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review.

Congratulations to:

Ronald Farabaugh, Cheryl Hawk, Dave Taylor, Clinton Daniels, Claire Noll, Mike Schneider, John McGowan, Wayne Whalen, Ron Wilcox, Richard Sarnat, Leonard Suiter, and James Whedon

Iben Axén

Iben Axén

Co-Editors-In-Chief

Simon French

Simon French

Clinical Compass appoints a new Scientific Commission Chair

 

March 1st 2024

The Clinical Compass Board of Directors welcomes Dr. Clinton Daniels as the new Chair of its Scientific Commission. Dr. Daniels joined the Clinical Compass board in 2020. He is the Chiropractic Section Chief for VA Puget Sound Health Care System and Assistant Affiliate Professor at University of Washington. In addition, he is Secretary for the Chiropractic Health Care section of the American Public Health Association, Research Coordinator for the VA Chiropractic Field Advisory Committee, and serves on the Washington State Health Technology Clinical Committee. Clint has contributed to more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific publications on topics such as chiropractic integration into veteran and military facilities, postsurgical spine pain, suicide prevention, and chiropractic best practices.

Dr. Cheryl Hawk has served as Chair of the Clinical Compass Scientific Commission since 2007 and is a professor at Texas Chiropractic College. She will continue to serve Clinical Compass as Director of Special Projects, which will include directing clinical practice guidelines and maintaing the Evidence Center. Cheryl was “Researcher of the Year” by both the American Chiropractic Association (2003) and the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (2005). She has co-authored more than 120 publications and more than a dozen clinical practice guidelines and best practice recommendations.

Clinical Compass is a non-profit evidence-synthesis think tank with a board that offers a diverse-cross section of the chiropractic profession with members that represent ChiroCongress, the American Chiropractic Association, the American Black Chiropractic Association, and the National Association of Chiropractic Attorneys. In recent years, Clinical Compass has published chiropractic best-practice articles on managing low back pain, neck pain, chronic musculoskeletal disorders, and health prevention and promotion.