Improving Adherence to Follow-Up and Therapy of Osteoporosis amongst Patients after Proximal Femur Fractures

Hip fractures are the most serious consequences of osteoporosis. Approximately 30 percent of hip fracture patients will incur another fracture in the next two years. Unfortunately, a major part of these patients will fail to acknowledge their need for osteoporosis treatment in order to prevent the next fracture.

Since January 2016 we have introduced a new protocol that would improve the level of awareness amongst patients who have gone under surgery for proximal femur fracture. This includes providing a post-operative constructive guidance to our patients and their primary care giver, using a demonstrative model of osteoporotic bone, supplying a ‘simple language’ explanatory, and finally, contacting our patients by a phone call several weeks following discharge, ensuring a planned follow up by the endocrinology clinic. Finally, we recorded endocrinologist visit arrival rates at 3 months following discharge.

Sixty patients were included in the study. Results were compared to a history cohort from 2013 in our department. Eighty-five percent have arrived to the endocrinologist outpatient clinic, and 65 percent started an anti-osteoporosis treatment, compared to 41 percent arrival rate and 18 percent therapy initiation at the 2013 group.

Our findings suggest that simple steps such as guidance and explanation to our patients and their caregivers, and a phone call may improve treatment compliance dramatically.