Bring Clarity and Rigor to Your Most Complex Spine Cases

CRISP® (Clinical Reasoning in Spine Pain®) is a structured, evidence-based framework for diagnosing and managing spine-related disorders. Developed by Dr. Murphy over 30+ years, it uses Three Essential Questions to identify biological, psychoemotional, and social factors. Then uses individualized clinical reasoning to devise a management strategy to address each factor. All in a busy clinical environment.

Dr. Murphy holds a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors (UK). He has 30+ years of clinical experience, 100+ peer-reviewed publications, and has served on national guideline panels including ACP/APS and ACOEM. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at a major Ivy League university.

Dr. Murphy provides expert witness services for malpractice cases and case review for personal injury and workers' compensation matters. Deliverables include record review, standard-of-care analysis, causation assessment, written opinions with citations, and deposition or trial testimony.

Dr. Murphy authored Clinical Reasoning in Spine Pain® Vol I (low back disorders) and Vol II (cervical disorders), plus co-authored cervical and lumbar spinal stabilization exercise booklets. The CRISP® volumes are widely used in spine care education and pathway implementation.

A Primary Spine Practitioner is a clinician trained in evidence-based evaluation, diagnosis, and management of spine-related disorders as the initial point of contact. Dr. Murphy helped develop this role concept and has published extensively on its implementation within healthcare systems.

Yes. Dr. Murphy maintains an active clinical practice at Rhode Island Spine Center, LLC. For patient appointments, contact the practice directly. This website focuses on his medicolegal, speaking, and consulting services for professionals and organizations.

Dr. Murphy provides three core services: medicolegal case review and expert witness testimony, professional speaking engagements (keynotes, grand rounds, workshops, webinars), and consulting for healthcare systems, insurers, universities, and clinicians on spine care implementation.

Key topics include clinical reasoning for spine-related disorders using the CRISP® framework, reducing low-value care, implementing primary spine care models in health systems, and evidence-based diagnosis and management for busy clinical settings.

Dr. Murphy consults for hospital and health systems building musculoskeletal programs, insurance companies managing utilization, universities developing spine care curricula, and individual clinicians implementing evidence-based pathways grounded in the CRISP® framework.

Submit an inquiry through the contact form specifying your need—medicolegal, speaking, or consulting. Dr. Murphy responds within two business days. A short intake call follows to discuss scope, timeline, and deliverables before work begins.

Unlike single-modality treatments, CRISP® integrates multiple evidence-based approaches tailored to each individual patient. It addresses biological, psychoemotional, and social factors rather than focusing solely on pain or imaging findings. The framework is teachable, consistent, and defensible across clinical and medicolegal settings.

Dr. Murphy responds to all inquiries within two business days. For time-sensitive medicolegal matters, note your deadline when submitting the contact form. The intake call will address scope and timeline to ensure deliverables meet your legal deadlines.