title: Fracture prevention service to bridge the osteoporosis care gap.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A care gap exists between the health care needs of older persons with fragility fractures and the therapeutic answers they receive. The Fracture Prevention Service (FPS), a tailored in-hospital model of care, may effectively bridge the osteoporosis care gap for hip-fractured older persons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the FPS in targeting persons at high risk of future fracture and to improve their adherence to treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective observational study conducted in a teaching hospital with traumatology and geriatric units, and had a pre-intervention and post-intervention phase. The records of 172 participants were evaluated in the pre-intervention phase, while data from 210 participants were gathered in the post-intervention phase. All participants underwent telephone follow-up at 12 months after hospital discharge. The participants were patients aged ≥65 years admitted to the orthopedic acute ward who underwent surgical repair of a proximal femoral fracture. A multidisciplinary integrated model of care was established. Dedicated pathways were implemented in clinical practice to optimize the identification of high-risk persons, improve their evaluation through bone mineral density testing and blood examinations, and initiate an appropriate treatment for secondary prevention of falls and fragility fractures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the pre-intervention phase, more hip-fractured persons received bone mineral density testing (47.62% versus 14.53%, P<0.0001), specific pharmacological treatments (48.51% versus 17.16%, P<0.0001), and an appointment for evaluation at a fall and fracture clinic (52.48% versus 2.37%, P<0.0001) in the post-intervention phase. Independent of some confounders, implementation of the FPS was positively associated with recommendations for secondary fracture prevention at discharge (P<0.0001) and with 1-year adherence to pharmacological treatment (P<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The FPS is an effective multidisciplinary integrated model of care to optimize identification of older persons at highest risk for fragility fracture, to improve their clinical management, and to increase adherence to prescriptions.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmelinda
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruggiero
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zampi
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic and Traumatologic Unit, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rinonapoli
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zengarini
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Physicians, SIMG Umbria, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baglioni
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Physicians, SIMG Umbria, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duranti
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ercolani
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, AO Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic and Traumatologic Unit, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Auro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caraffa
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, University of Perugia, Hospital S Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mecocci
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Brandi
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium
keywords: fracture liaison service; hip fracture; model of care; osteoporosis; secondary prevention