Better NHS service provision 'could help prevent secondary fractures'

Improvements to current health service provisions in the UK could help hip fracture patients to minimise their risk of secondary fractures more effectively. This is according to a new study led by the University of Oxford and University of Southampton, which aimed to identify healthcare professionals' views on effective care for the prevention of secondary fracture after an initial hip injury. Currently, there is a substantial amount of variation in terms of how NHS services to prevent secondary fractures are delivered, with little consensus on the best models of care. This means that many people who have broken hips remain at high risk of subsequent osteoporotic fractures. For this new research, published in the medical journal Osteoporosis International, 43 interviews were undertaken with healthcare professionals involved in delivering fracture prevention services across 11 hospitals in one English region. The staff's views on case finding, osteoporosis assessment, treatment initiation, and monitoring and coordination were analysed. It was shown that there was no consensus on who should conduct the osteoporosis assessments, with the location and availability of the necessary dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanners influencing the likelihood of patients receiving a scan. Meanwhile, it was agreed that treatment ought to be initiated in an inpatient setting rather than during the post-discharge or outpatient periods, while adherence was seen as a major concern, with res...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news