Lumbar spinal fusion patients' demands to the primary health sector: evaluation of three rehabilitation protocols. A prospective randomized study.

Very few studies have investigated the effects or costs of rehabilitation regimens following lumbar spinal fusion. The effectiveness of in-hospital rehabilitation regimens has substantial impact on patients' demands in the primary health care sector. The aim of this study was to investigate patient-articulated demands to the primary health care sector following lumbar spinal fusion and three different in-hospital rehabilitation regimens in a prospective, randomized study with a 2-year follow-up. Ninety patients were randomized 3 months post lumbar spinal fusion to either a 'video' group (one-time oral instruction by a physiotherapist and patients were then issued a video for home exercise), or a 'café' group (video regimen with the addition of three café meetings with other fusion-operated patients) or a 'training' group (exercise therapy; physiotherapist-guided; two times a week for 8 weeks). Register data of service utilization in the primary health care sector were collected from the time of randomization through 24 months postsurgery. Costs of in-hospital protocols were estimated and the service utilization in the primary health care sector and its cost were analyzed. A significant difference (P=0.023) in number of contacts was found among groups at 2-year follow-up. Within the periods of 3-6 months and 7-12 months postoperatively, the experimental groups required less than half the amount of care within the primary health care sector as compared to the video group (P=0.001 and P=0.008). The incremental costs of the café regimen respectively, the training regimen were compensated by cost savings in the primary health care sector, at ratios of 4.70 (95% CI 4.64; 4.77) and 1.70 (95% CI 1.68; 1.72). This study concludes that a low-cost biopsychosocial rehabilitation regimen significantly reduces service utilization in the primary health care sector as compared to the usual regimen and a training exercise regimen. The results stress the importance of a cognitive element of coping in a rehabilitation program.