title: Postfracture interventions disseminated through health care and drug insurers: attempting to integrate fragmented health care delivery.
abstract: Osteoporosis care after a fracture is often suboptimal. Suboptimal treatment seems to be most common in fragmented health care systems. We examined the literature to assess possible causes for suboptimal postfracture osteoporosis care within fragmented health care systems. The review of the literature did not attempt to meta-analyze prior studies. We found several possible methods for improving postfracture osteoporosis care in a fragmented health care system. These include changes in health care financing, application of information technology, incorporation of case management, the use of system champions, and dissemination of performance measures. The strengths and weaknesses of each of these potential levers for improvement were explored. Postfracture osteoporosis care is sub-optimal and challenging to improve in fragmented health care delivery systems.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, PBB-B3, Boston, MA 02115, USA. dsolomon@partners.org
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Solomon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007356:Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011787:Quality of Health Care
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents