Roland the skeleton was a hit at Evans Head Medical Centre recently, as he raised awareness of osteoporosis.
Practice co-manager Amanda Voss said Roland was a ‘nice distraction’ from COVID-19 and a good talking point.
‘Our goal was to educate staff and identify patients with osteoporosis who had let their treatment lapse, and highlight the importance of booking them in,’ Ms Voss said.
‘It’s also shown us the importance of asking patients if they’ve had a bone density scan. That’s now one of our screening questions.’
Anyone who is aged 70 and has not had a bone check, or who has broken a bone since turning 50, should speak to their GP about how they can protect their bones.
Ms Voss was delighted to have nurse educator Kay Millions from the REFRAME Osteoporosis program support the ‘March into March’ initiative. REFRAME is a medical program, supported by Amgen, that provides a variety of free resources and tools that practices can use to support the bone health needs of their patients. Access online at: www.reframeosteoporosis.com.au
‘This was something I could immediately see would benefit us and our patients and I jumped at the opportunity,’ Ms Voss said.
REFRAME has now been supporting Australian general practices for 5 years. More than 700 GPs recently participated in accredited clinical audit activity.
‘The audit found that when primary care practices take a systematic approach, they do a great job in primary prevention of osteoporosis,’ said nurse educator Kay Millions, ‘but we still have some work to do when it comes to secondary prevention, that is, after someone has had a fragility fracture.’
To help address this important area of patient need, Ms Millions will continue working in the Northern Rivers region. In July she will meet with Craig Knox from Lismore Base Hospital’s Fracture Clinic. The goal will be to better understand the challenges in providing continuity of care to fracture patients, and where the REFRAME program may be able to offer support.
Take action today!
Visit our Primary Care Impact QI activity:
Set up or improve a recall and reminder system for patients at risk of Osteoporosis
This QI activity was shared by Practice Nurse Lyndall Eagan, who implemented a recall service for patients at Central Pottsville Medical Centre, and includes an downloadable PDSA.
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