Multifaceted interventions targeting high-risk patients and their primary care providers may improve the management of osteoporosis , but improvements are often clinical ly modest
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of primary care interventions to improve the detection and treatment of osteoporosis .
A telephone-based intervention for increasing the use of osteoporosis medication: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of a telephone-based " virtual " osteoporosis clinic in increasing the use of osteoporosis medication assessed at 1 year after receipt of a prescription . STUDY DESIGN R and omized controlled trial . METHODS Women 60 years and older with previously undiagnosed osteoporosis were r and omized to evaluation and treatment by a dedicated telephone-based osteoporosis clinic with monthly telephone follow-up until medication was successfully started ( intervention ) or to usual care provided by their primary care physician ( control ) . A successful outcome was defined as having filled a prescription for a 3-month supply of medication within 130 days , marking 1 year and 30 days since enrollment . RESULTS A total of 235 women underwent r and omization , and 211 received the allocation . Of 109 women in the telephone-based osteoporosis clinic group , 75 ( 68.8 % ) were using osteoporosis medication at 1 year compared with 46 of 102 women ( 45.1 % ) in the usual care group ( P < .001 ) . A post study question naire showed no significant differences between the groups in regard to knowledge about osteoporosis or attitude toward their osteoporosis care provider . The significant increase in osteoporosis medication use with the telephone intervention occurred at the same time that an independent health maintenance organization-wide program promoting osteoporosis treatment seemed to improve overall rates of use . CONCLUSIONS The use of osteoporosis medication among women with newly diagnosed osteoporosis may be significantly improved by a simple intervention based on monthly telephone follow-up . Overall use of osteoporosis medication in this trial may have been increased by a systemwide initiative to improve osteoporosis care conducted concurrently with the trial . ( Clinical Trials.gov Identifier : NCT00145067 . )
Multifaceted interventions targeting high-risk patients and their primary care providers may improve the management of osteoporosis , but improvements are often clinical ly modest
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of primary care interventions to improve the detection and treatment of osteoporosis .