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 .
Osteoporosis improvement: a large-scale randomized controlled trial of patient and primary care physician education.
UNLABELLED We conducted a r and omized controlled trial within the setting of a large drug benefit plan for Medicare beneficiaries . Primary care physicians and their patients were r and omized to usual care , patient intervention only , physician intervention only , or both interventions . There was no difference in the probability of the primary composite endpoint ( BMD test or osteoporosis medication ) or in either of its components comparing the combined intervention group with usual care ( risk ratio = 1.04 ; 95 % CI , 0.85 - 1.26 ) . INTRODUCTION Fractures from osteoporosis are associated with substantial morbidity , mortality , and cost . However , only a minority of at-risk older adults receives screening and /or treatment for this condition . We evaluated the effect of educational interventions for osteoporosis targeting at-risk patients , primary care physicians , or both . MATERIAL S AND METHODS We conducted a r and omized controlled trial within the setting of a large drug benefit plan for Medicare beneficiaries . Primary care physicians and their patients were r and omized to usual care , patient intervention only , physician intervention only , or both interventions .  The at-risk patients were women > or=65 yr of age , men and women > or=65 yr of age with a prior fracture , and men and women > or=65 yr of age who used oral glucocorticoids .  The primary outcome studied was a composite of either undergoing a BMD test or initiating a medication used for osteoporosis . The secondary outcome was a hip , humerus , spine , or wrist fracture . RESULTS We r and omized 828 primary care physicians and their 13,455 eligible at-risk patients into four study arms . Physician and patient characteristics were very similar across all four groups . Across all four groups , the rate of the composite outcome was 10.3 per 100 person-years and did not differ between the usual care and the combined intervention groups ( p = 0.5 ) . In adjusted Cox proportional hazards models , there was no difference in the probability of the primary composite endpoint comparing the combined intervention group with usual care ( risk ratio = 1.04 ; 95 % CI , 0.85 - 1.26 ) . There was also no difference in either of the components of the composite endpoint . The probability of fracture during follow-up was 4.2 per 100 person-years and did not differ by treatment assignment ( p = 0.9 ) . CONCLUSIONS In this trial , a relatively brief program of patient and /or physician education did not work to improve the management of osteoporosis . More intensive efforts should be considered for future quality improvement programs for osteoporosis
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 .