72 Surviving the Epidemic That Confronts Us—Fracture Liaison Service Evaluation Data

Abstract

Abstract Introduction 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 will break a bone and a significant proportion will suffer from osteoporosis.A fragility fracture will double the risk of future fractures. Between 1990 and 2000, there was nearly a 25% increase in hip fractures worldwide. A hip fracture is one of the most devastating, and often terminal, injury for an older person. Intervention The Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) captures patients aged 50 and above that present to fracture clinic with possible fragility fractures with the aim to reduce further fracture incidence. Patients are assessed for osteoporosis and recommendations made for treatment. Results Here we present the results of our FLS service evaluation after 6 years in operation, using the rate of hip fractures (number of hip fractures/Emergency Department [ED] attendances over 75’s) as a surrogate marker for effectiveness. Evaluation Summary Trend analysis of our data indicates a reduction in the number of patients attending the Trust with fractured neck of femur (NOF) despite the increase in ED attendances. This is against the trend nationally where fractured NOF numbers are rising (National Hip Fracture Database, accessed online August 2019). Next steps The FLS to attempt to comprehensively capture muscular-skeletal patients and to consider opportunities present to target case finding to high risk cohorts.