Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to implement a screening process and provider toolkit to increase screening efforts for osteoporosis in an Orthopedic clinic.|Background: Osteoporosis is a major threat predicted to increase with our aging population leading to fragility fractures. Fractures lead to decreased quality of life, increased morbidity/mortality, and increased healthcare costs. Osteoporosis is vastly underdiagnosed and undertreated in the U.S. despite recommendations for universal screening and treatment guidelines.|Sample/Setting: The setting of the project took place in an Orthopedic clinic in Bemidji, Minnesota. The clinic houses 10 providers. The sample is the orthopedic providers at the Bemidji clinic. The sample collected an IOF one-minute risk on patients aged 50 and older over an 8-week period.|Methods: This project utilized International Osteoporosis Foundation’s (IOF) one-minute Risk test to conclude the osteoporosis risk on patients 50 and older in the Orthopedics clinic. The amount of Bone Health referrals made and DEXAs ordered 8 weeks prior to project implementation were compared to the amount 8 weeks after project implementation to assess if the IOF risk test was effective at identifying high-risk individuals.|Results: All but one provider participated. 8 weeks prior to project implementation, there were 13 total Bone Health referrals placed and 26 DEXAs ordered. During the 8-week project implementation period, there were 2,198 patients eligible for IOF’s one-minute risk test. 503 of those eligible patients completed the risk test. Of the 503 patients, 54 were referred to Bone Health and 44 DEXAs ordered.|Conclusion: The screening tool proved to be an appropriate screening method to determine osteoporosis risk. The providers have integrated the risk test into daily clinical practice routines in both the Orthopedics and Podiatry clinics. The providers thought it was a valid and efficient tool for osteoporosis screening and preferred it over an online tool.