New Landscape Review from Johns Hopkins and American Specialty Health Highlights Growing Role of Physical and Occupational Therapy in Workforce Health

Analysis Underscores Clinical and Economic Impact of Therapy-First Approaches for Musculoskeletal Disorders

SAN DIEGO, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- American Specialty Health (ASH), a national HealthTech leader in musculoskeletal (MSK) health care solutions, published a study in partnership with researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in May examining the evolving role of physical and occupational therapy in treating musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). 

Employers (health plan sponsors) identify musculoskeletal conditions (MSDs) as one of the top two leading causes of health care costs. Understanding these trends enables employers and health plans to implement policies and programs optimizing evidence-based interventions, insurance coverage, and prevention programs.

ASH Senior Vice President of Clinical Quality Evaluation, Jaynie Bjornaraa, PhD, MPH, PT helped construct the framework of the review, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, in cooperation with Ron Goetzel, PhD; Enid Chung Roemer, PhD; and Kevin McLaughlin, DPT, PT. The team, which also included Karen Kent, MPH; Mary Austin, DPT, PT, WCS; and Louis Fazen, MD, PhD, examined evidence and trends related to physical and occupational therapy treatment and management of patients with musculoskeletal disorders from 2015 to 2025.

"Collaborating with leading academic institutions like Johns Hopkins to advance the evidence base for musculoskeletal care is critical as employers and health plans look for proven strategies to improve outcomes and manage costs," said Dr. Bjornaraa.
"The research highlights the growing prevalence and cost burden of MSDs, which affect more than one in three individuals in the United States and represent a leading driver of health care spending."

In addition to driving significant health care costs for employers, health plans, and their members, MSK conditions also contribute to productivity costs like absenteeism, disability, and delays in returning to work. Reliance on high-cost, high-risk interventions such as orthopedic surgery and interventional pain procedures have also contributed to these significant health care costs.

The review concluded that physical and occupational therapy has continued to advance and play a critical and expanding role in managing workforce MSDs by improving health outcomes, reducing costs, and supporting workforce productivity.

Key findings include:

• Clinical effectiveness: Strong scientific evidence supports therapy-based interventions for reducing pain and restoring function across a range of MSK conditions
• Cost efficiency: Early and appropriate therapy can help reduce reliance on expensive procedures such as surgery and imaging, as well as ongoing medication use
• Workforce impact: Early engagement in physical therapy is associated with faster return-to-work timelines and shorter durations of disability

The paper also reinforces the point that therapy-led approaches deliver meaningful value, not only for patients, but also for employers and health plans seeking to better manage MSK-related costs and outcomes.

"One of the clearest takeaways from this research is that physical and occupational therapy are cost-effective, yet remain underutilized despite strong evidence of their value," said Dr. Bjornaraa. "For health plans and employers, this creates a meaningful opportunity to strengthen benefit design and care pathways in ways that improve early access to these services to improve outcomes and use health care resources more effectively."

For corporate medical directors and payer stakeholders focused on improving workforce health and controlling costs, findings emphasize how:

• Increasing access to physical and occupational therapy can help mitigate both the clinical and economic burden of MSDs
• Early intervention and expanded utilization of therapy services can improve return-to-work outcomes and employee productivity
• Evidence-based, conservative care models offer a scalable path to more efficient and sustainable health care delivery

"This paper makes a strong case for physical and occupational therapy-first care as a clinically sound, cost-effective strategy for addressing musculoskeletal conditions," said George DeVries, founder, president, and CEO of ASH. "For employers and health plans, it underscores the value of expanding access to evidence-based care that can improve outcomes, reduce avoidable interventions, and support a healthier, more productive workforce."

DeVries added, "ASH clinical solutions are designed to help clients and members do this by expanding access to evidence-based care through more connected, flexible MSK care pathways."

About American Specialty Health

Founded in 1987, American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH) is a leading national, musculoskeletal (MSK) HealthTech company. ASH co-founder, George DeVries, states "ASH exists to make health care better. We are committed to making health care more affordable, simpler, and accessible." 

Through its subsidiaries, ASH offers both clinical and fitness programs. Its national clinical provider network includes more than 129,000 integrative in-clinic and virtual providers including physical, occupational, and speech language therapists, as well as chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists, registered dietitians, nutritionists, podiatrists, naturopaths, and over 25,000 fitness centers and exercise studios. ASH also offers a Digital MSK Platform that provides members with options to access digital MSK self-care recovery tools. In addition to the Digital MSK Platform, ASH includes Virtual PT/OT – a national network of virtual PTs and OTs to support all our digital solutions programs. Our Site-of-Care Hospital Outpatient PT/OT program is designed to support health plans in delivering more cost-effective PT/OT services for their members by identifying the most appropriate site for PT/OT services. Providing MSK recovery solutions for chronic and acute conditions, ASH leverages technology and clinical performance systems to expedite claims, customer service resolutions, and clinical management activities.

ASH provides benefit administration for hundreds of health plans including fully insured and self-funded health plans, as well as Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, DSNP, Exchange, and other programs. Accredited by NCQA, URAC, and HITRUST, ASH meets national health care standards. ASH has received many awards and honors, including 11 different years making the "Inc. 5000 List of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies." ASH is a trusted partner covering more than 62 million members nationwide in its clinical and fitness programs. For more information about ASH, visit ASHCompanies.com; follow on LinkedIn and Facebook; or call 800-848-3555.

Media Contacts:
Jack Chirrick
American Specialty Health Inc.
(619) 557-2361
[email protected]

SOURCE American Specialty Health Incorporated