Osteoporosis screening by community pharmacists: use of National Osteoporosis Foundation resources.

Abstract

To assess the feasibility of establishing an osteoporosis screening program in rural community pharmacies based on information and resources provided by the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), to survey primary care providers regarding the usefulness of this screening program, and to recommend strategies for pharmacists interested in working with patients at risk for osteoporosis. Pharmacists and/or nurses enrolled women 65 years of age and older into the study, measured calcaneal bone density, administered a questionnaire to ascertain subjects' osteoporosis risk factors, and provided NOF literature to subjects. With their agreement, women's bone mass data and risk factor assessments were provided to primary care providers along with NOF's Physician's Guide to Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis. These providers were surveyed as to whether they found this information useful. Five independent community pharmacies in rural Wisconsin. We enrolled and tested 133 women. Of these, 122 (92%) agreed to have information mailed to their primary health care providers. These 57 providers were surveyed and 24 (42%) responded; of these 24, 20 (83%) found the information they received useful. A community pharmacy-based osteoporosis screening program using NOF materials was well accepted by physicians. NOF resources and recommendations can provide a strong foundation for such programs.