OMT can be very lucrative. A 7-region treatment, which isn’t hard to get, has a similar return as a 30 minute new patient appointment. The difference is that you typically can bill for a follow-up along with the OMT procedure...you can typically get both done in 20 minutes with minimal risk and get similar reimbursement as a 60 minute new consult. I know primary care docs who make $500,000 doing heavy OMT.
As speaking of placebo...we having nothing but crappy studied interventions for pain. OMT is problem the safest and most appreciated intervention that I do. Doesn’t involve meds, doesn’t involve needles. It’s quick and easy...reimburses relatively well. Patients really like it.