Roger Engel , Sandra Grace , Nicole Duncan , Brooke Wade , Josh Paterson-Allsop , Bryce O'Hara , Brett Vaughan
{"title":"澳大利亚私人医疗保险公司对整骨疗法的态度:定性研究","authors":"Roger Engel , Sandra Grace , Nicole Duncan , Brooke Wade , Josh Paterson-Allsop , Bryce O'Hara , Brett Vaughan","doi":"10.1016/j.ijosm.2023.100689","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Australian osteopaths predominately work in private practice. The vast majority of patients who present to osteopaths fund their own care, with many receiving a rebate through their private health insurance cover. While there is little that describes the relationship between the Australian osteopathy profession and private health insurers, such information could provide an opportunity for insurers to improve coverage of osteopathy through enhanced benefits.</p></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><p>To identify the extent of private health insurance cover available for osteopathy and to explore the attitudes of private health insurers towards the Australian osteopathy profession.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>This qualitative study used: 1) content analysis of Australian private health insurers offerings for osteopathy, and 2) the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to inform interviews with representatives from Australian private health insurers. The interviews were transcribed and coded with respect to the TDF.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Of the 35 private health insurers in Australia, 33 offered benefits for osteopathy. Four interviews were conducted with representatives from the 10 largest private health insurers who provide benefits. Osteopathy represents a very small proportion of their services. The inclusion of osteopathic services is market driven. Private health insurance representatives had limited knowledge and understanding of osteopathy, however, they acknowledged the value that some of their members saw in receiving osteopathic care. Osteopathy is bundled with complementary and allied health services by 91.4% of insurers.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Osteopathy is included in the majority of Australian private health insurers’ offerings because the service value-adds to their products. Further research into the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of osteopathy as well as an educational campaign that provides private health insurers with information about the scope of osteopathy are needed to secure its ongoing inclusion in private health insurance in Australia.</p></div><div><h3>Implications for practice</h3><p></p><ul><li><span>•</span><span><p>Benefits for osteopathic treatment are covered by most private health insurers in Australia.</p></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><p>Osteopathy is viewed favourably by these insurers.</p></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><p>The findings from this research will inform strategies to secure the ongoing inclusion of benefits for osteopathic treatment by private health insurers in Australia.</p></span></li></ul></div>","PeriodicalId":51068,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.1000,"publicationDate":"2023-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1746068923000330/pdfft?md5=a99af717d576701149e94113e3dcd416&pid=1-s2.0-S1746068923000330-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Australian private health insurer attitudes towards osteopathy: A qualitative study\",\"authors\":\"Roger Engel , Sandra Grace , Nicole Duncan , Brooke Wade , Josh Paterson-Allsop , Bryce O'Hara , Brett Vaughan\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.ijosm.2023.100689\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Australian osteopaths predominately work in private practice. The vast majority of patients who present to osteopaths fund their own care, with many receiving a rebate through their private health insurance cover. While there is little that describes the relationship between the Australian osteopathy profession and private health insurers, such information could provide an opportunity for insurers to improve coverage of osteopathy through enhanced benefits.</p></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><p>To identify the extent of private health insurance cover available for osteopathy and to explore the attitudes of private health insurers towards the Australian osteopathy profession.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>This qualitative study used: 1) content analysis of Australian private health insurers offerings for osteopathy, and 2) the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to inform interviews with representatives from Australian private health insurers. The interviews were transcribed and coded with respect to the TDF.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Of the 35 private health insurers in Australia, 33 offered benefits for osteopathy. Four interviews were conducted with representatives from the 10 largest private health insurers who provide benefits. Osteopathy represents a very small proportion of their services. The inclusion of osteopathic services is market driven. Private health insurance representatives had limited knowledge and understanding of osteopathy, however, they acknowledged the value that some of their members saw in receiving osteopathic care. Osteopathy is bundled with complementary and allied health services by 91.4% of insurers.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Osteopathy is included in the majority of Australian private health insurers’ offerings because the service value-adds to their products. Further research into the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of osteopathy as well as an educational campaign that provides private health insurers with information about the scope of osteopathy are needed to secure its ongoing inclusion in private health insurance in Australia.</p></div><div><h3>Implications for practice</h3><p></p><ul><li><span>•</span><span><p>Benefits for osteopathic treatment are covered by most private health insurers in Australia.</p></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><p>Osteopathy is viewed favourably by these insurers.</p></span></li><li><span>•</span><span><p>The findings from this research will inform strategies to secure the ongoing inclusion of benefits for osteopathic treatment by private health insurers in Australia.</p></span></li></ul></div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":51068,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine\",\"volume\":null,\"pages\":null},\"PeriodicalIF\":1.1000,\"publicationDate\":\"2023-09-23\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1746068923000330/pdfft?md5=a99af717d576701149e94113e3dcd416&pid=1-s2.0-S1746068923000330-main.pdf\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"3\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1746068923000330\",\"RegionNum\":4,\"RegionCategory\":\"医学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q2\",\"JCRName\":\"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1746068923000330","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
Australian private health insurer attitudes towards osteopathy: A qualitative study
Background
Australian osteopaths predominately work in private practice. The vast majority of patients who present to osteopaths fund their own care, with many receiving a rebate through their private health insurance cover. While there is little that describes the relationship between the Australian osteopathy profession and private health insurers, such information could provide an opportunity for insurers to improve coverage of osteopathy through enhanced benefits.
Objectives
To identify the extent of private health insurance cover available for osteopathy and to explore the attitudes of private health insurers towards the Australian osteopathy profession.
Methods
This qualitative study used: 1) content analysis of Australian private health insurers offerings for osteopathy, and 2) the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to inform interviews with representatives from Australian private health insurers. The interviews were transcribed and coded with respect to the TDF.
Results
Of the 35 private health insurers in Australia, 33 offered benefits for osteopathy. Four interviews were conducted with representatives from the 10 largest private health insurers who provide benefits. Osteopathy represents a very small proportion of their services. The inclusion of osteopathic services is market driven. Private health insurance representatives had limited knowledge and understanding of osteopathy, however, they acknowledged the value that some of their members saw in receiving osteopathic care. Osteopathy is bundled with complementary and allied health services by 91.4% of insurers.
Conclusion
Osteopathy is included in the majority of Australian private health insurers’ offerings because the service value-adds to their products. Further research into the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of osteopathy as well as an educational campaign that provides private health insurers with information about the scope of osteopathy are needed to secure its ongoing inclusion in private health insurance in Australia.
Implications for practice
•
Benefits for osteopathic treatment are covered by most private health insurers in Australia.
•
Osteopathy is viewed favourably by these insurers.
•
The findings from this research will inform strategies to secure the ongoing inclusion of benefits for osteopathic treatment by private health insurers in Australia.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine is a peer-reviewed journal that provides for the publication of high quality research articles and review papers that are as broad as the many disciplines that influence and underpin the principles and practice of osteopathic medicine. Particular emphasis is given to basic science research, clinical epidemiology and health social science in relation to osteopathy and neuromusculoskeletal medicine.
The Editorial Board encourages submission of articles based on both quantitative and qualitative research designs. The Editorial Board also aims to provide a forum for discourse and debate on any aspect of osteopathy and neuromusculoskeletal medicine with the aim of critically evaluating existing practices in regard to the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients with neuromusculoskeletal disorders and somatic dysfunction. All manuscripts submitted to the IJOM are subject to a blinded review process. The categories currently available for publication include reports of original research, review papers, commentaries and articles related to clinical practice, including case reports. Further details can be found in the IJOM Instructions for Authors. Manuscripts are accepted for publication with the understanding that no substantial part has been, or will be published elsewhere.