How to evaluate and select the best digital MSK vendors

Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders are one of the most expensive and under-addressed cost centers facing U.S. healthcare providers.

MSK disorders affect 1 in 2 Americans and cost over $190 billion per year, more than heart disease, cancer, or mental health conditions. For employers and health plans, MSK claims are often among the top 3 cost drivers. And for members, chronic pain reduces quality of life, drives absenteeism, and often leads to costly downstream interventions.

That’s why digital MSK solutions have surged in popularity. The promise is compelling: better access, which drives stronger engagement, delivers better outcomes, and therefore lowers overall healthcare costs.

But with so many vendors claiming clinical validation, AI capabilities, and strong engagement, it’s hard to separate signal from noise.

Buyers need to look past surface-level claims and evaluate solutions based on what actually drives results. Those results are multi-faceted. Providers must look for partners who can lower costs but provide effective and high quality care that improves member health outcomes.

Most of the vendors in the market offer some combination of people and technology, and many of them claim their solution is clinically-validated. Employers are increasingly relying on you to cut through all the buzz and find the very best solution. With so many choices out there, how do you help your clients make the right one?

Let's cover the critical things to consider when evaluating an MSK program. \

1. Ask who is delivering the care, and how they’re doing it

There almost are as many models for care delivery in the digital MSK space as there are vendors. Some, like Sword, use physical therapists exclusively, others use health coaches or other non-clinicians, and others still use a combination of the two.

At Sword, 100% the care is delivered by a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy. Every member is matched with a DPT who is there for them every step of the way. This is important because the risks of treating MSK sufferers with non-clinicians are too great, and because healing from MSK pain requires continuity of care from someone the member can trust, with the training to educate the member on their condition and coach them for long-lasting change.

2. Assess how the solution performs, clinically and in the real world

The goal of any digital health program is to get the best possible results for the largest amount of people. When you’re evaluating the effectiveness of a solution, it’s helpful to ask four questions:

1. Is the solution evidence-based?
2. Are there clear and trustworthy clinical outcomes?
3. Are there demonstrable cost savings
4. What is the experience like for someone going through the program?

In clinical trials, we’ve proven that Sword is 30% more effective than the gold standard of care: three hours of one-on-one PT per week. In the real world, Sword’s solution reduces members’ pain by 70%, making them 64% less likely to consider surgery and 36% less likely to resort to medication.

3. Determine how many members can benefit

A high-performing MSK program must serve a wide range of members. This includes warehouse workers with back pain, desk-based employees with shoulder issues, and remote workers recovering from surgery.

Programs that rely on generic content or self-guided education will fall short. The best solutions tailor care based on condition type, severity, lifestyle, and motivation style, and adapt as members progress.

An MSK solution is only as good as the number of people it can help. Not only does this simplify things for the employer, giving them a one-stop-shop for treating all kinds of conditions, it significantly improves their cost-savings potential.

Sword helps members tackle pain from head to toe. Almost half (43%) of our members are receiving therapy for shoulder, neck, ankle and elbow conditions - vendors that don’t have the capability to treat these conditions today are leaving those members without an option, and their employers footing the bill for expensive treatments.

Our solution also treats MSK conditions at every point in the journey, from prevention, to treating acute conditions, to managing chronic pain, to recovering after surgery. The large majority (71%) of our members come to us with chronic pain, but for the one-third of members with acute or subacute pain, we’re once again giving them an alternative to expensive and ineffective treatments.

It’s important to treat all kinds of pain because unfortunately, most people will have both acute and chronic episodes, and when left untreated, acute conditions can become chronic, which can require surgery and rehab. The good news is, if you intercept with the right treatment at any point in this journey, you can break the cycle.

4. Look for providers with outcome-based pricing

Outcome Pricing ties payments to measurable healthcare outcomes. That means you get a partner with a vested interest in delivering high-value care that actually works.

You should seek a genuine partnership rooted in shared goals and aligned incentives. By tying fees directly to results, you get greater confidence in your investment and lower risk if results don't match expectations.

You should at least expect any MSK vendore to provide tracking and reporting on healthcare outcomes so you have accountability and visibility of results.

At Sword, we’re committed to driving as much value as possible for our clients and their people. We’ve built our entire AI Care platform around delivering industry-leading outcomes:

• 67% of members report being pain-free after completing our program¹
• Reductions in anxiety and depression of 50% and 64%, respectively²
• 47% decrease in the use of prescribed painkillers³
• 50% reduction in costly surgeries⁴
• 68% increase in productivity⁵

We know that people come to Sword seeking convenient, world-class care and delivering on our mission of eliminating pain has always been our priority.

That’s why Sword pioneered engagement-based pricing, setting the industry standard so clients only pay when members actively participate in our programs. By structuring fees in this way, we ensure that our clients only pay the full cost when members experience real, measurable benefits.

A smarter way to manage MSK care

Choosing the right MSK solution is one of the most important decisions a benefits leader can make.

The right partner should offer:

• Clinical care from licensed PTs
• Personalized programs for each member
• Demonstrated outcomes in both trials and real-world populations
• Outcome-based pricing tied to ROI

Sword Health delivers on each of these pillars. It offers a complete MSK care solution that improves outcomes, reduces claims, and guarantees results for employers and health plans.