Lower Back Musculoskeletal Care Services
Patients and Clients
Rapid Access to specialized Assessments and consultations for personalized management plans.
The RAC-LBP program (formerly known as ISAEC) is an innovative, upstream, shared-care model of care in which patients receive timely low back pain assessment (average wait time ≈ 4 weeks), education and evidence-based self-management plans. More information on ISAEC.
The Rapid Access Clinics for Low Back Pain program consists of 16 regional hubs across Ontario to help you access high-quality care close to home. An Advanced Practice Provider, a physiotherapist / chiropractor with specialized training, will assess your symptoms in a timely manner and work with you to create a personalized care plan to help you better self-manage your pain and refer you for specialty assessment, if required.
The objectives of the program include:
- Improved outcomes for patients with persistent or unmanageable recurrent low back pain.
- Decreased prevalence of chronic unmanageable low back pain.
- Reduced opioid initiation through early non-pharmacological management.
- Decreased utilization of lumbar spine imaging (e.g., MRIs).
- Reduced unnecessary emergency room visits for low back pain.
- Reduced unnecessary referrals to low back pain-related specialists
- Improved access to specialist care.
How do I get referred?
- Your primary care provider, a family doctor or nurse practitioner, can refer you to a Rapid Access Clinic for an initial assessment of your low back pain and/or low back related leg pain, to determine the next steps in your care.
- At this time, referral into the program is only available to patients whose primary care provider has registered with the program. Please ask your primary care provider if they are participating in the program and whether or not you meet the program criteria.
