There is an urgent need to develop improved systems in General Practice to identify and treat people with osteopenia and osteoporosis. Effective screening and prevention efforts in the primary health care setting can prevent acute presentations. This presentation will demonstrate how the implementation of an adequately resourced, dedicated screening program, based on RACGP OP management guidelines, resulted in measurable increases in the number of patients over age 50, with previous fragility fracture, diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis.
Using the data extraction software (PEN CAT) – REFRAME osteoporosis audit tool, we interrogated our practice database, and identified patients age 50 years or older with previous fracture. Mirroring the ORP case finding procedure followed at John Hunter Hospital ORP service, a nurse contacted these patients to confirm mechanism of injury and invited those who had sustained a fragility fracture to attend our practice for the osteoporosis screening and management program (a bone health check). After appropriate assessment and investigations, appropriate education and treatment were implemented, and follow up was also organised.
It is hoped that identification and treatment of osteopenia and osteoporosis in general practice will prevent fragility fractures and the expenses associated with them. The results of the project could inform future educational practices for health care professionals, particularly in the areas of systems to improve prevention and screening. The methods and intervention development processes used in this project will be easily transferable to similar practice contexts.