The Global Spine Care Initiative (GSCI) has developed a sustainable model of care to address spine-related disability. The team’s work will be published in a special issue of the European Spine Journal.
The international team of medical professionals, composed of 68 experts from 24 countries, includes medical specialists, physical therapists, and other healthcare providers and participants.
The 15 papers that compose the model include literature reviews, a classification system to triage spine concerns, an evidence-based care pathway to recommend the safest and most effective care and recommendations how to implement the new model anywhere in the world.
The model is founded on eight principles (person-centered, people-centered, biopsychosocial, proactive, evidence-based, integrative, collaborative and self-sustaining care) aimed at transforming how spine care is delivered. The model includes integrated levels of care to assure that patients with any spine-related concern or disorder will get the right care.
The primary level of care, which is the type of care most commonly used, includes non-invasive and conservative approaches such as those used in medicine, physical therapy, and other health care professions, explains a media release from Global Spine Care Initiative.
“The GSCI model answers the call to action from international authorities and recommendations from the World Health Organization. Our model is a new approach to spinal disorders and is believed to be the first attempt at a comprehensive care pathway,” notes Scott Haldeman, DC, MD, PhD, FRCP(C), president of World Spine Care and principal investigator of the GSCI, in the release.
“Working together, we hope to make life better for many people whose lives are being impacted by spinal disorders and who need access to help, especially people in medically underserved communities and low- and middle-income countries. We encourage clinicians in all healthcare professions to learn this model of spine care and apply it in their daily practices,” he adds.
[Source(s): Global Spine Care Initiative, PR Newswire]
