Though much has been written about the rising cost of healthcare, little has been done to help slow this growing problem. However, one need look no further than integrative therapies for a solution that will not only yield genuine and significant cost savings, but will also favorably impact patient care.
Integrative therapies have the potential to decrease health care costs in several meaningful ways. For example, research has shown that educating and counseling patients about adopting a healthy diet, adhering to an exercise regimen and regularly practicing stress management techniques can impact patient behavior. More healthful lifestyle habits can result in a reduced need for some prescription medications; for example, those prescribed for high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels. This alone can provide enormous cost savings, since it is estimated that each year approximately 4.5 million Americans visit the emergency room or their doctor’s office as a result of adverse prescription drug reactions! In addition, an astounding 2 million hospitalized patients suffer ill effects of prescription drugs each year.
And then there’s the financial impact of healthier eating habits. It’s no secret that obesity is a growing problem in this country; a problem that not only impacts our health, but has significant financial consequences. According to one report published in 2012, obesity in America is adding an astounding $190 billion to our annual healthcare costs. In fact, obesity is now exceeding smoking as the most significant contributor to our nation’s healthcare expense! The Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and Micro Health Simulations conducted an analysis to examine how much the United States could save in health care costs if obesity rates were reduced by just five percent. The analysis suggested that the country could save $29.8 billion in five years, $158.1 billion in 10 years and $611.7 billion in 20 years!
Now let’s look at the potential cost savings of proper supplementation. It is estimated that hospitalizations for all U.S. adults over the age of 55 with cardiovascular disease (CVD) cost this country over $64 billion in 2012. A study published in the August 2014 issue of the Journal of Dietary Supplements examined peer-reviewed published studies that looked at the relationship between omega-3 supplement use and the risk of a cardiovascular event, and B vitamins intake and the risk of a cardiovascular event. These researchers reported that if every high risk person in the target population – U.S. adults over the age of 55 with CVD – were to take omega-3 supplements every day (at prevention intake levels), there would be an average annual cost savings of $2.1 billion every year, and a cumulative savings of $16.5 billion in expenditures between 2013 and 2020! The researchers went on to report that if every high-risk person in this same population were to take B vitamins at preventive intake levels daily, there would be an average savings of $1.5 billion per year and a cumulative savings of $12.1 billion between 2013 and 2020!
In addition, a study out of Canada, published in the October 2014 journal Nutrients, suggested that 37,000 deaths could be prevented annually if Canadians maintained optimal vitamin D levels. The resulting economic burden, based on 2005 figures, would decrease by 6.9%, or $14.4 billion! Given how many Americans are also believed to be vitamin D deficient, we assume there would be a similar relative cost savings if more Americans maintained optimal levels of vitamin D.
When it comes to cancer, several studies of integrative therapies provide enough data for us to estimate the potential cost savings of implementing some of these treatment strategies. For example, Montgomery et al, published research assessing the benefits of just one hypnosis session conducted with breast cancer patients just prior to their undergoing breast biopsies. A cost-effectiveness analysis was part of the randomized trial of this 15-minute intervention. The cost savings attributed to the hypnosis was $773.00, mostly from less time spent in surgery and reduced medications. In an editorial published in Integrative Cancer Therapies in December, 2010, Dr. Block projected what might be saved using hypnosis on the total number of breast cancer patients who have breast biopsies in a given year. Using figures from 2009, when it was estimated that 194,280 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed, he conservatively estimated that 92% of these patients – or 178,783 patients – would have been likely candidates for biopsies. Factoring in the cost of having a nurse conduct the hypnosis session and any additional related costs, the net savings for implementing this simple integrative technique prior to a breast biopsy would be a staggering $135,270,403.00!
Other examples: In 2003, a study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Practice suggested that a relaxation tape used before colon surgery reduced the length of hospital stay by 1.6 days, at a cost savings of $3200.00 per patient. Also in 2003, Astin et al reviewed the efficacy of biobehavioral strategies for a variety of health outcomes. Strong evidence from 2 meta-analyses suggested that cancer symptoms were effectively controlled by mind-body interventions such as hypnosis, relaxation and support groups. These interventions were found to be effective in coping with both disease symptoms and treatment-related side effects such as acute pain and anticipatory nausea and vomiting. One can assume that the effectiveness of these interventions resulted in a concurrent decrease in the use of conventional medications and treatments.
In conclusion, beyond the enormous potential cost savings of integrative therapies, these interventions have also been shown to help improve quality of life, boost treatment effectiveness, restore biological integrity, and reduce treatment side effects, toxicity and resistance. Integrative interventions not only offer tremendous benefit to patients, but could also help our financially overburdened healthcare system function more efficiently and economically. We look forward to the day when integrative therapies become more extensively implemented, and those costs more widely covered by our insurance companies.