Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are the single largest driver of employer healthcare spending, responsible for nearly $980 billion in annual costs in the United States. Despite this, the ROI claims of too many vendors still rely on modeling assumptions, engagement proxies, and vendor-reported estimates.

This whitepaper answers the question that smart benefits leaders and CFOs are starting to ask: how do you find credible, validated ROI for MSK care? You’ll see how an outcomes-based MSK care model built on claims-based evidence, independent actuarial validation, and peer-reviewed clinical results sets a new standard. This model can remove bias and deliver measurable results across employer and health plan populations, including:

• 3.2x independently validated ROI
• 58% reduction in surgeries
• 62% reduction in pain levels
• 81% program completion

For any leaders responsible for controlling healthcare spend, this whitepaper provides the framework you need to evaluate MSK vendors and ensure financial accountability.

Key learnings inside the guide

• Why most MSK ROI claims fail independent validation
• The claims-based actuarial framework used to measure real healthcare savings
• How propensity matching and difference-in-differences analysis isolate true program impact
• The clinical and financial outcomes behind Sword’s validated 3.2x ROI
• What benefits leaders should demand from MSK vendors in contracts, guarantees, and evidence