Mike Roscoe, PhD, MPAS, PA-C, Alyssa Nishihira BS, BSHS, PA-S
Mike Roscoe is the PA Program Director at the University of Evansville, Indiana. Alyssa Nishihira is in her final year of the PA program at Butler University, Indianapolis; after graduation, she will be practicing at Advanced Neurosurgery in Reno, Nevada. The authors have no financial relationships to disclose.
Although accreditation for this CE/CME activity has expired, and the posttest is no longer available, you can still read the full article.
Expires April 30, 2017
Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common reasons for an office visit, but most cases—at least 95%—have a benign underlying cause. Evaluation of LBP patients in the primary care setting, therefore, must focus on identifying “red flags” in the history and physical exam that suggest a significant underlying process requiring further work-up, including imaging. This evidence-based approach helps control costs and prevents the detrimental effects of unnecessary testing.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW Earn credit by reading this article and successfully completing the posttest and evaluation. Successful completion is defined as a cumulative score of at least 70% correct.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES • Identify "red flag" items in the history and physical exam that make low back pain (LBP) "complicated." • Stratify patients into three categories: simple back pain, complicated back pain, and back pain with sciatica. • Discuss when appropriate additional testing/imaging is needed based on LBP categories. • Discuss patient perceptions and costs associated with imaging and LBP. • Describe basic treatment options for noncomplicated acute LBP.
FACULTY
Mike Roscoe is the PA Program Director at the University of Evansville, Indiana. Alyssa Nishihira is in her final year of the PA program at Butler University, Indianapolis; after graduation, she will be practicing at Advanced Neurosurgery in Reno, Nevada. The authors have no financial relationships to disclose.
ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
This program has been reviewed and is approved for a maximum of 1.0 hour of American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) Category 1 CME credit by the Physician Assistant Review Panel. [NPs: Both ANCC and the AANP Certification Program recognize AAPA as an approved provider of Category 1 credit.] Approval is valid for one year from the issue date of May 2016.
