Benzinga | Nov 4, 2021 09:12AM EDT

Everside Health Announces Partnership With ATI Physical Therapy To Expand Patient Access To Musculoskeletal Care

National direct primary care provider Everside Health, LLC ("Everside"), formerly Paladina Health, Activate Healthcare, Healthstat and R-Health, announced today a national partnership with ATI Physical Therapy ("ATI") (NYSE:ATIP), the largest single-branded outpatient physical therapy provider in the United States, that will deliver greater access to care, lower costs and better treatment outcomes for patients and their employers.

The partnership combines Everside's advanced value-based primary care experience with ATI's innovative musculoskeletal (MSK) health services to provide preventative care while helping to reduce healthcare costs for both employers and patients. The significant overlap of the companies' geographic footprints offers a powerful reach, with Everside operating more than 350 health centers in 34 states and ATI running more than 900 outpatient clinics in 25 states.

"ATI is a natural partner for us because its service delivery model and approach to providing worksite solutions align with ours," said Gaurov Dayal, President of Everside Health. "Both companies are equally focused on providing better access and improved patient outcomes at lower costs. By bringing together our collective expertise and experience, we can deliver these benefits more efficiently to more patients."

The partnership comes at a pivotal time for patients and their employers. An estimated one in two U.S. adults have a MSK condition and the cost of treating MSK has doubled from $10 billion to around $20 billion in the last decade. The partnership aims to lower treatment costs and allows both organizations to offer more integrated products and services to patients, addressing MSK-related and other chronic issues before they worsen.

As part of Everside's direct primary care model, the company offers preventive health services onsite or near employer workforces, as well as virtually. This approach has been successful in helping employees better manage a wide array of costly, chronic health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. On average, employers on the Everside program save 17% on claims costs by year three and 31% by year five, based on retrospective savings analysis.

Similarly, studies have shown that early physical therapy as a first line treatment option for MSK pain can reduce opioid use by up to 90%, advanced imaging such as MRIs by 30% and ER visits by 15%, resulting in direct medical cost savings from $1,543 to $5,400 per patient. 1-3

"With one of the largest patient databases in the country, ATI is proud to deliver industry-leading outcomes to our patients," said Ray Wahl, COO of ATI Physical Therapy. "We are excited to have identified a partner with the same focus on superior care and helping employers deliver added value to their employees, while also dramatically saving on healthcare-related costs. We believe this strategic partnership will help shape how holistic healthcare is delivered and effectively integrated for cost savings for both the patient and employer."

"Everside Health continues to seek out partners that add value to our existing products and services," said Wesley Donohoe, Chief Product Officer for Everside Health. "ATI stands out as a leader in the industry with a proven approach to helping patients with MSK-related issues. We designed a truly integrated product to deliver an innovated experience for our patients and the ATI and Everside care teams."

For more information, visit eversidehealth.com/ati.