The Battle for MSK Care Is Already Underway
Musculoskeletal care is quietly becoming one of the most important battlegrounds in healthcare.
MSK conditions affect over 120 million Americans, account for roughly $420 billion in annual healthcare spending, and remain the leading cause of disability worldwide.
And because of that, nearly every major stakeholder in healthcare is moving into this space.
Digital health companies.
Employers.
Payers.
Orthopedic groups.
Health systems.
Wearable tech companies.
They’re all competing for one thing:
Control of the musculoskeletal patient relationship.
Because whoever controls the entry point into MSK care often controls everything that follows—from imaging and therapy to injections, surgery, and long-term outcomes.
In this episode, we take a step back and look at what’s really happening in the MSK space—and why this moment represents more than just innovation. It represents a fundamental shift in how care is delivered.
What we cover in this Episode:
-Why Musculoskeletal Care Has Become a $420B Healthcare Category
MSK is one of the largest drivers of healthcare spending, disability, and lost productivity in the United States.
-Why the Current MSK System Is So Fragmented
How disconnected care pathways create inefficiencies—and opportunities for disruption.
-The 4 Competing Models of MSK Care
Procedure-centric, therapy-centric, digital-first, and hybrid care models—and how they’re competing for control of the patient journey.
-Why Policy and Payment Models Are Beginning to Shift
How CMS initiatives like the ACCESS model and the expansion of RTM are beginning to support more coordinated, longitudinal care.
-Why Technology Alone Won’t Solve the Problem
The role of clinicians in guiding movement, behavior change, and long-term capacity building.
-Why the Future of MSK Care Will Likely Be Hybrid
How digital tools and clinical expertise are coming together to reshape care delivery.
Full episode note: https://rehabupracticesolutions.com/better-outcomes-166
Podcast: https://www.betteroutcomes.show
Get the Book: https://amzn.to/3M2UZ6x
Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/rehabu/discovery
Connect with Me: https://www.rafisalazar.com
What is The Better Outcomes Show?
Exploring the possibilities of a new healthcare.
Let’s get real: Healthcare is broken. You know it. I know it. Every clinician who came into this field from a desire to care for others, knows this to be undeniably true. We feel it everyday when we enter our clinics, hospitals, and practices. We feel the burden of time-based productivity metrics, utilization rates, and the expectation to behave like cogs in a giant, soul-crushing machine aimed at extracting revenue from our patients in exchange for “units” of treatment.
Healthcare should be about one thing: PEOPLE! Yet how many clinics, organizations, or healthcare professionals live their lives by the numbers? Metrics & spreadsheets drive most of our healthcare decision makers and administrators. That leaves patients -the people we serve- lost in the mix. Patient’s feel lost, forgotten, and ignored by a system that prioritizes efficiency & productivity over their own personal experiences, priorities, or goals.
It’s time for clinicians to finally stand up and say what we’ve all been thinking for so long: enough is enough!
It’s time for healthcare organizations to commit to serving the individual needs of each unique patient that they are charged with serving.
Join Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi), principal of Rehab U Practice Solutions and host of The Better Outcomes Show as he explores the possibilities of a new healthcare. Guests range from clinicians trying new techniques and treatments to executives and entrepreneurs exploring new service delivery methods, business models, and organizational structures.