Virtual care exploded on the scene at the onset of the pandemic, offering a critically necessary detour for healthcare delivery. However, as the world shifted back to in-person engagement, patients didn’t always follow suit. According to a 2023 survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, over 35 percent of patients now wish to receive care both virtually at home and in the office or clinic (Zipp, 2023). As the post-COVID healthcare paradigm continues to take shape, hybrid care is quickly evolving into the leading solution that offers the care employees both want and need.

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Patient preference: Why hybrid care is here to stay

From a high level view, the most effective and valuable care is often the type of care that employees believe is effective and valuable. For some, that means logging onto a device and meeting with their care teams from the comfort of home. For others, connecting with clinicians face-to-face is the ideal solution. No single location is best for everyone as acuity of clinical symptoms, individual opinions, priorities, and prior care experiences often heavily influence an employee’s preferred site of care. The key for employers is to find solutions that offer the same level of clinical care in each setting, whether an employee chooses or requires a convenient telehealth visit or a clinic-based appointment—or both.

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Hybrid MSK care: Relieving pain points for employers and employees

The hybrid shift is more critical than ever in musculoskeletal (MSK) health—which is consistently a top-three cost driver for employers. Inappropriate MSK care is unfortunately the norm. Many individuals experiencing pain initially seek care from primary care physicians (PCPs), who typically lack training in evidence-based, non-operative care for back and joint conditions. Once employees begin their MSK journeys in the primary care office, they are nearly seven times more likely to end up in the operating room for a surgery that may fail to provide relief. Moreover, individuals struggle to even access this type of care in the first place, as wait times for an office-based appointment can average 20.6 days (AMN Healthcare, 2022).

Individuals struggle to access in-person care in the first place, as wait times for an office-based appointment can average 20.6 days.

However, employees who are redirected to virtual-first physician-led specialty care before getting lost in this costly cycle are far more likely to see true improvements at a lower expense. This is especially true for follow-up physical therapy (PT) visits which are typically plagued with non-adherence rates as high as 70 percent. Virtual PT not only removes adherence barriers (such as issues with transportation, time away from work, and childcare), but it also improves accountability and strengthens the patient-clinician relationship by providing patients with focused one-on-one care in a comfortable setting.

At the same time, there are certain MSK conditions or situations that may require in-person care for hands-on assistance, such as treating individuals with severe balance and gait disorders. No matter the situation, an MSK solution should always put the patient first with care tailored to each individual’s unique needs and preferences.

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How virtual-first hybrid MSK care is ticking boxes for employers

For employers determining how to best care for their employees suffering from MSK conditions, the question moving forward is not whether to provide virtual or in-person care, but how to provide both. As the only nationwide hybrid medical practice in the MSK space, Vori Health has seen firsthand the measurable impact that offering both types of care has on both engagement and outcomes. By offering physician-led care online as well as in-person  in over 200 of the largest metropolitan areas nationwide, Vori Health consistently achieves a three-fold increase in utilization rates compared to traditional care, with an average 85% plan adherence rate.

Patients begin their journey with a virtual consultation and may choose to seamlessly transition their care plan to in-person care (and back online) at any point during their treatment. Even with in-person offerings, Vori’s non-operative medical doctors remain at the helm of each care plan, leveraging results from local in-person PT visits or at-home PT sessions using sensorless motion tracking technology to monitor a patient’s progress and tailor their care plan as needed. This unique hybrid, physician-led model empowers Vori care teams to treat 40 percent more MSK conditions than any other PT-only solution in the space.

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Real employer results: hybrid care boosts engagement

Employees who recognize that they have a voice in driving their care decisions are more likely to stay engaged and complete their programs. Vori Health has played an instrumental role in driving these results by partnering with employers who are laser-focused on utilizing hybrid care to improve clinical outcomes and return on investment. For one award-winning human capital management (HCM) organization with over 9,000 employees, Vori Health’s hybrid offerings gained major traction as a new benefit, achieving a 3.5 percent utilization rate in less than three months.

By providing the type of care that employees are looking for, Vori Health is helping employers across the country offer proven solutions to meet the needs of their employees with MSK pain, achieving 70% functional improvement with a 64% reduction in pain and a 62% reduction in depression and anxiety.

Ready to explore the hybrid advantage? Connect with our team to learn how Vori Health’s virtual-first hybrid MSK program can optimize engagement and outcomes for your employees.

REFERENCES

• Zipp, 2023: Zipp R. Public Prefers In-Person Doctor Visits Post COVID-19 Virtual Care Boom. Morning Consult Pro. Published August 8, 2023.
• AMN Healthcare, 2022: 2022 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times and Medicare and Medicaid Acceptance Rates. (2022). AMN Healthcare/Merritt Hawkins.