Lower Medical Costs and Reduce Disability Duration

Recommended as an adjunctive treatment by nationally recognized and adopted Official Disability Guidelines, interferential technology can help reduce costs and risks associated with opioids, as well as reduce disability duration. After all, prescription drugs account for 25% of total workers compensation medical costs while long-term opioids result in disability that is three times longer than those without opioids.

Avid IF2 Interferential System

Avid IF2 is a cost-effective, non-narcotic and non-invasive treatment for acute, chronic and post-surgical pain and symptoms of industrial injuries.

 

FDA Indications Avid If2.

  • Provide symptomatic relief of post-surgical and/or post-traumatic acute pain
  • Deliver symptomatic relief of chronic intractable pain
  • Relax muscle spasms
  • Maintain and increase range of motion
  • Increase local blood circulation
Avid CT2 neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and interferential current therapy

The Avid CT2 provides neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in addition to interferential stimulation to facilitate recovery of muscles and joints following surgery or injury.  NMES specifically target muscles that have been weakened by injury or surgery.  Electrically stimulated contractions provide at home adjunctive therapy that supplements in-person physical therapy to strengthen muscles, relieve spasms that hinder mobility, increase circulation to facilitate healing and restore function.

 

Costs and Risks Associated with Opioids

  • Prescription drugs account for 25% of total workers compensation medical costs.
  • Opioids account for 27% of the $3.4 to $4.1 billion spent annually on drugs in workers compensation claims.
  • 44% of all work compensation claims with prescriptions had at least one opioid prescription.
  • Long-term opioids result in disability that is three times longer than those without opioids.
  • Workers with longer term opioids prescriptions received temporary disability benefits 251% longer than workers treated with low-back injuries without opioid prescriptions
  • Patients with opioid abuse or dependence have an increased medical cost of $15,500 per year
  • 12% of patients who had a soft tissue or orthopedic operation in the past year self-reported that they had become addicted to or dependent on opioids following surgery.

Adjunctive Treatment Guidelines and Recommendations

ODG (Pain Chapter)

May be appropriate on a trial basis to study the effects and benefits of interefential devices for the following conditions:

  • Pain is ineffectively controlled due to diminished effectiveness of medications; or
  • Pain is ineffectively controlled with medications
    due to side effects; or
  • History of substance abuse; or
  • Significant pain from postoperative or acute conditions limits the ability to perform exercise/programs/physical therapy; or
  • Unresponsive to conservative measures.

Continued use and purchase is recommended “if there should be evidence of increased functional improvement, less reported pain and evidence of medication reduction.”

 

ODG (Shoulder)

Not recommended as an isolated intervention, but has been shown effective in conjunction with shoulder exercise program.

 

ODG (Knee)

Under study for osteoarthritis and recovery post knee surgery. After knee surgery, home interferential current therapy (IFC) may help reduce pain, pain medication taken, and swelling while increasing range of motion, resulting in quicker return to activities of daily living and athletic activities.

 

ACOEM Guidelines

Interferential therapy for post-operative ACL reconstruction, meniscectomy, and knee chondroplasty is recommended immediately post-operatively… Patients should be engaged in an appropriate postoperative rehabilitation program in combination with interferential therapy.

 

California Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (Chronic Pain Guidelines)

Appropriate for the following conditions if it has been documented and proven to be effective as directed or applied by the physician or a provider licensed to provide physical medicine:

  • Pain is ineffectively controlled due to diminished effectiveness of medications; or
  • Pain is ineffectively controlled with medications due to side effects; or
  • History of substance abuse; or
  • Significant pain from postoperative conditions limits the ability to perform exercise programs/physical therapy treatment; or
  • Unresponsive to conservative measures (e.g., repositioning, heat/ ice, etc.).

If criteria are met, then a one-month trial may be appropriate to permit the physician and physical medicine provider to study the effects and benefits. There should be evidence of increased functional improvement, less reported pain and evidence of medication reduction.

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