May 11, 2021
MMI Raises Awareness about Osteoporosis and Fragility Fractures During National Osteoporosis Month
MMI Raises Awareness about Osteoporosis and Fragility Fractures During National Osteoporosis Month in Frederick, Maryland- May is National Osteoporosis Month. Although an estimated 10 million adults in the U.S. have osteoporosis and an additional 44 million have low bone mass, most will go undiagnosed and untreated. A broken bone, also known as an osteoporotic or fragility fracture, is a serious complication of osteoporosis and often the first sign that a person has the disease. One in two women and one in four men will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis. Unfortunately, only 20% of the nearly two million individuals who experience fragility fractures each year are tested or treated for osteoporosis. Those fractures are costly; nearly $19 billion in related costs every year. By 2025, experts predict those numbers to rise to nearly 3 million fractures and $25.3 billion in costs each year. It’s time to bring attention and awareness to this silent public health epidemic.
MMI is Leading the Way in Post-Fracture Care
MMI has taken steps to ensure its osteoporotic fracture patients receive the treatment and care they deserve through participation in The American Orthopaedic Association’s (AOA) Own the Bone® quality improvement (QI) program. Through this QI program, MMI received the tools to establish a secondary fracture prevention program, or fracture liaison service (FLS), with the goal of preventing future fractures. FLS programs use a care coordinator, often a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant, to help ensure that fragility fracture patients are identified and receive appropriate evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment.
Through Own the Bone, MMI focuses on specific evidence-based measures to help improve patient care after a fracture including: educating patients on nutrition, physical activity, and lifestyle changes; recommending and initiating bone mineral density testing; discussing pharmacotherapy and treatment (when applicable); and providing written communication to the patient and their family physician regarding the patient’s specific risk factors and treatment recommendations.
Through their enrollment in Own the Bone, MMI has demonstrated a commitment to helping patients understand their risk for future fractures and steps they can take to prevent them.
Dr. Rishi Gupta, MD shared his thoughts, “We at MMI are working to bridge the gap between fragility fractures and osteoporosis care. We are excited to be starting a program called Own the Bone and hope to educate our patients and the broader community on the importance of bone health, especially as we age. Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you!”
To help celebrate National Osteoporosis Month this May, MMI is getting the community involved and reaching out over social media to raise awareness. On May 26th at 5:00 pm MMi is offering a Free educational webinar " All About Osteoporosis" featuring Dr. Neeti Bhargava, M.D. to the Frederick Community. Stay tuned for Dr. Enrico Villanueva, M.D. offering a blog submission on "Keeping Bones Healthy and Strong". We also have additional educational information on our website at mmidocs.com.
What can patients do to protect their bones?
- Get adequate calcium and vitamin D, either through diet or supplements, if necessary
- Engage in regular weight bearing and muscle strengthening exercise
- Avoid smoking and limit alcohol intake to 2-3 drinks per day
Have you or a loved one had a broken bone over age 50? Talk to your health care provider and get a bone density screening to determine if osteoporosis might be the cause and learn about additional steps you might need to take to prevent future fractures.
For more information about MMI’s program and treatment options, please contact:
About the AOA
Founded in 1887, The American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) is the oldest orthopaedic association in the world. At its core is its mission: "Engaging the orthopaedic community to develop leaders, strategies, and resources to guide the future of musculoskeletal care.” For more information, visit www.aoassn.org or call (847) 318-7336.