Clinical and engagement efficacy of a virtual musculoskeletal integrated practice unit in health system employees: aggregate and comparative results from two employers.

There was no control group or comparison to usual care, so it is impossible to know if the outcomes improved because of the program or due to natural history or regression to the mean. Participants were self-selected employees from two specific health systems, which introduces significant selection bias; they may have been more motivated or healthier than the general population. The analysis only included those who completed the program, excluding those who dropped out, which likely overestimates the benefit. The intervention was a complex bundle of care (physician oversight, PT, dietitian, health coaching, education), so the contribution of any single component, such as physical therapy, cannot be isolated. The study did not measure cost outcomes or clinical outcomes like imaging or surgery rates.

The study was sponsored by Protera Health, Inc., the company that provides the virtual integrated practice unit platform being evaluated.

Do not conclude that virtual physical therapy alone is effective for musculoskeletal pain. The study evaluated a comprehensive multidisciplinary program where physical therapy was only one component, and the lack of a control group means the observed improvements cannot be definitively attributed to the intervention rather than natural recovery or selection bias.