Clinical Outcomes

Dr. Craig Humphreys receives the most complex cases of back and neck pain from across the State of Alaska

Unlike primary care practices or general orthopedic practices, Dr. Craig Humphreys as a regional referral center receives far more complex patients than any other entity in the State of Alaska.

New patients coming into Dr. Craig Humphreys complete an intake form that audits symptoms of a herniated disc, functional status, pain medications needed, and if they had previous spine surgery. 

Clinical outcome studies by an outside entity that works with spine centers across the United States documents the following Patient Severity of new patients coming in the front door: 

Clinical outcome highlights of Dr. Craig Humphreys — 2016

• One of four patients coming in the front door to Dr. Craig Humphreys have had previous back or neck surgery at other clinics. 
• Half of new patients coming to the spine center have symptoms like radiating pain or numbness into a leg or arm, which implies a herniated disc, rather than simple acute back or neck strain from muscle or tendon strain.
• 74% of new patients have suffered from back or neck pain for 4 months or longer. 

This severity of new patients presents a challenge for a spine center. Still, the spine center emphasized non-surgical options first, holding surgery as the last resort.

 

PATIENT SEVERITY: Dr. Craig Humphreys handles the most extreme cases of back and neck pain

Dr. Craig Humphreys addresses the many complex cases of back and neck pain in Alaska. Over the past five years, Dr. Craig Humphreys is referred the most complex cases of back and neck pain from across the State. One of four patients coming in the front door have had previous back or neck surgery at other clinics. Additionally, half of new patients coming to the spine center have symptoms like radiating pain or numbness into a leg or arm, which implies disc-related symptoms, rather than simple acute back or neck strain. Another 74% of these new patients had suffered from back or neck pain for 4 months or longer. This severity of new patients presents a challenge for a spine center. Still, the spine center emphasized non-surgical options first, holding surgery as the last resort.

 

Emphasizing conservative options first for a “Stairway to Success”

A true multidisciplinary spine center should emphasize conservative treatment options first like therapy and pain-relieving spinal injections to lessen the need for spine surgery, which should form a downward Stairway to Success as shown in this chart. This stairway documents that the more you emphasize NON-surgical treatment options like physical therapy or injections, fewer patients will need to resort to surgery for relief of symptoms. Consequently, 79% of patients recovered from pain symptoms without surgery. Patient education is another focus of Dr. Craig Humphreys as 56% received a customized home exercise program in 2016 to prevent recurrence.

 

Patient satisfaction

A phone survey is used to audit patient satisfaction — the most accurate survey method possible. That’s because mail surveys have an inherent sampling bias based on those who take the time to respond. Three months after the first visit an outside RN (not affiliated or employed by the center) calls a random sample of patients at home. The nurse then interviews patients on their satisfaction with the doctor seen, the time the doctor spends with the patient, the medical explanation provided, etc. 90% of patients said they were satisfied with the overall care provided to them.

 

Resolving weakness & prescribing an Rx of exercise

The main reason people go to the doctor is for relief of pain. But if a spine physician focuses exclusively on pain, he can miss the target of return to activity. For example, spine specialized therapists move the patient quickly into exercise. At intake, 41% of patients rated their pain level at 7 or more on a 1-10 analog pain scale. After three months, it improved to only 20%. A significant number of patients had relief from disc-related symptoms. At intake 49% cited weakness in an arm or leg, which improved to only 32%. At the same time patients reduced their use of pills, from 26% of new patients taking 5 or pills daily to only 16% after treatment.

 

Return to work & activity

Having a more complex patient mix makes return to work more difficult than a clinic that treats simple back pain. For example, of those patients who had simple acute back or neck pain in this year’s sample, 100% returned to work and activity. The majority of patients, however, were either chronic back pain or those with failed back surgery syndrome from other clinics. Case in point: 26% of new patients coming to Dr. Craig Humphreys had previous back surgery elsewhere, and 86% of these patients returned to work/activity. Of those with back pain longer than 4 months with disc-related symptoms, 85% returned to work/activity.