Patient Education of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine as a Gateway to Treatment: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Abstract Context The use of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) continues to decline in medical practice, despite an increasing number of osteopathic physicians. Objective This pilot study was designed to determine if a brochure created to increase knowledge about osteopathic medicine and OMM was read by patients, reviewed as being helpful, needed modifications and increased patient understanding of and willingness to receive OMM in preparation for a large scale trial that will assess this in both the hospital and ambulatory settings. Methods The study was performed using an educational brochure and 2 closed questionnaires. Twenty-seven patients of either inpatient or observation status aged 18 and above with English literacy were enrolled. Participants first completed a pre-questionnaire with questions regarding understanding of OMM and willingness to receive treatment. They then read the provided educational brochure, which contained a checkbox to verify the material was read in its entirety. Participants completed a post-questionnaire with similar questions. The results were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed rank test with 95% confidence to observe any changes in pre- and post-questionnaire responses. Results Of the participants, 48.1% provided verification that they read the brochure. A significant increase in patient willingness to receive OMM as part of their treatment regimen was observed for those who read the brochure (P=.008 ). No significant change was seen for those who didn’t read the brochure (P=.26). Additionally, 100% of participants indicated that the brochure was helpful, and 100% of participants indicated a better understanding of OMM. Cost remained a significant barrier to accepting or pursuing OMM treatment. Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in willingness to receive treatment after reviewing the designed brochure. It also identified a need to convey information regarding cost of OMM treatment to patients and a need to better emphasize the checkbox located within the brochure for verification purposes. The brochure and study design proved feasible and will provide the foundation for a larger scale trial looking to assess if a patient educational handout improves understanding of OMM and willingness to receive treatment in the hospital and ambulatory settings.