NH NeuroSpine Institute announced today that it has implemented the American Orthopaedic Association’s Own the Bone® Program. The program is aimed to better identify, evaluate and treat patients that suffer from an osteoporosis or low bone density-related fragility fracture (a broken bone that results from a fall from standing height or less). The program brings focus to the severe health implications of fragility fractures and the multi-faceted approach hospitals or clinics can employ to ensure these patients receive the most comprehensive care.
As the “First in the State of New Hampshire” to implement this vital program, New Hampshire NeuroSpine Institute plays an important role as a leader in New Hampshire and nationally in providing improved patient care in bone health.
Statistics surrounding fragility fractures are alarming! According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), up to 50% of all women and 25% of men over the age of 50 years will sustain fragility fractures in their remaining lifetime. The American Bone Health Prevalence Report states that more people in the United States suffer a fragility fracture each year than are diagnosed with a heart attack (MI), stroke or breast cancer combined and is projected to significantly increase as the population ages. Studies show that patients who have had a fragility fracture are two to four times more likely to experience another fracture than those who have never had a fracture. That is, once a patient experiences a fracture, they are very likely to get another one.
According to the National Committee for Quality Assurance, only 1 in 5 Medicare patients have received the osteoporosis care they needed after a fracture. The Own the Bone Program is a national Web-based quality improvement registry that incorporates 10 measures for reducing future fractures and provides NH NeuroSpine Institute with immediate feedback on program performance to measure NH NeuroSpine Institute’s success and helps benchmark our institution against other institutions. With Own the Bone, NH NeuroSpine Institute reduces this huge treatment gap and ensures that our patients with fragility fractures are screened and appropriately treated for low bone density or osteoporosis.
Kame McAuliffe, PA a leader at the NH NeuroSpine Institute Comprehensive Bone Health Clinic says, “I am extremely excited to be a part of NH NeuroSpine Institute’s Comprehensive Bone Health Clinic. Ensuring comprehensive care of our patient’s overall bone health so that we may better treat current fractures and prevent future fractures is of utmost importance to us here at NH Neurospine Institute. I am also incredibly honored to have the NHNSI Comprehensive Bone Health Clinic recognized by the American Orthopedic Association as the first “Own the Bone” Osteoporosis and Fracture prevention Program in the state of New Hampshire. We are taking the initiative and teaming up with our local healthcare providers to not only treat our patient’s fractures but to address the underlying cause of our patient’s poor bone health.”
By simply entering information in the Web-based data registry, results can be immediately quantified and health care providers can begin to see how our actions are positively affecting patient care. The program is able to produce internal and external benchmarking results that reflect how NH NeuroSpine Institutes patients are being positively affected by Own the Bone.
“A comprehensive, multi-specialty approach will greatly reduce repeat fragility fractures for at-risk patients,” said Douglas R. Dirschl, The American Orthopaedic Association’s 1st Past President. “Own the Bone gives hospitals and clinics the tools needed to address and curb this major health crisis.”
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NH NeuroSpine Institute’s Comprehensive Bone Health Clinic operates at the Bedford, NH facility. The program offers a team approach to dealing with fracture prevention and the healing of acute fractures by finding the underlying cause and treating it to help patients have stronger bones for a stronger life.
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