May 3, 2006

ODG TREATMENT IN WORKERS’ COMP ANNOUNCES ADDITION OF HIP AND PELVIS CHAPTER

 Independent database development company Work Loss Data Institute (WLDI) has added a chapter covering the hip and pelvis to its nationally recognized treatment guidelines, ODG Treatment in Workers’ Comp. The new chapter covers the treatment of common occupational and non-occupational conditions of the hip, pelvis and sacroiliac joint, including fractures, dislocations and joint pain.

  The most current OSHA data shows that, in 2003, hip and pelvic injuries accounted for over 10,000 workers comp cases, with the median days away from work being 11 for the hip and 33 for the pelvis. These statistics indicate that hip and pelvic injuries add up to a total price of about $160 million per year in workers’ comp costs.

  “Hip and pelvic injuries represent a significant portion of workers’ comp costs,” said Bill Hammond, President of the Texas Association of Business. “The new hip and pelvis chapter is a valuable addition to ODG Treatment, especially since evidence based treatment information on the hip and pelvis is rarely found in workers’ comp guidelines, which tend to favor low back and carpal tunnel complaints.”

  The Hip and Pelvis chapter is the 16^th chapter in ODG Treatment that provides evidence-based procedure summaries and treatment pathways based on the most current and high quality clinical trials and meta-analyses. As with all updates to ODG Treatment, the new chapter is available for immediate use for paid subscribers of ODG Treatment online. For hard copy subscribers, the Hip and Pelvis chapter will be available in the 5^th edition of ODG Treatment in January 2007. Previous to the hip and pelvis, a chapter covering head injuries and headaches was added in December 2005.

  Relied on by providers, employers, insurance claims professionals and state workers’ comp authorities, ODG Treatment is the only reference to unite evidence-based protocols for medical treatment with normative expectations for disability duration for every illness and injury, organized by ICD9 diagnosis. Without any specific affiliation, WLDI is unique in being able to bridge the interests of the many professional groups involved in diagnosing and treating a particular condition by providing widely accepted, nationally recognized guidelines for managing short term, long term or workers’ comp conditions.

ODG Treatment in Workers’ Comp is updated constantly based on a comprehensive and ongoing medical literature review as well as the annual peer-review process by the Editorial Advisory Board. Given the regular release of groundbreaking new studies on appropriate treatment published in peer-reviewed medical journals like the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and hundreds more worldwide, regular updates are crucial. 

ODG Treatment has been accepted by the Federal Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) for inclusion in the National Guideline Clearinghouse (www.guidelines.gov).

ODG Treatment is available for $325 on the Web or in textbook format, with multi-user discounts available. Raw data files for integration with internal software applications or for computer-automated benchmarking are also available. Contact WLDI regarding licensing fees.