DEXA Scans for Patients with "Fragility Fractures" 25 Jun 2015
The Bay Navigator Fragility Fracture pathway will go-live on 1st July. The pathway incorporates access to DEXA scan funding for those patients that fulfil ALL SEVEN of the criteria listed below.
The Bay Navigator Fragility Fracture pathway will go-live on 1st July. The pathway incorporates access to DEXA scan funding for those patients that fulfil ALL SEVEN of the criteria listed below.
1. The patient is between the ages of 50 and 75 (those aged over 75 who have a fragility fracture meet the criteria for biphosphonate therapy without DEXA scanning).
2. The patient has a recent (within last 4 months) fragility fracture i.e a fracture of wrist, humerus, ankle, pelvis, vertebrae or ribs that has been caused by a minimal trauma event usually as a result of a fall from a standing height or less.
3. The patient has not had a DEXA scan in the last 18 months.
4. The patient has not had an isolated fracture of the face, hands, feet or clavicle.
5. The patient does not have a fracture caused by evident trauma e.g. motor vehicle accident or fall from ladder.
6. The patient is not already on antiresorptive osteoporosis medication.
7. The patient has not had been reviewed by the Fracture Prevention Service in the WBOP (i.e. used WBOP hospital services for fracture treatment) AND has not had a hip fracture.
In order to access the funding pool, scan requests should be sent to your local DHB Radiology Department who will allocate these to the appropriate community providers (an eRadiology referral is currently under development).
Patients who access hospital services for their fracture in the WBOP and fulfil the criteria will be offered a DEXA via the new Fracture Prevention Service Specialist Nurse. Nicola Ward was appointed to the role earlier in the year. As no such position currently exists in the EBOP, these patients will require the GP to request the scan.
The pathway also provides advice on:
- Lifestyle and Physical Therapy
- Reducing Adverse Medication
- Biphosphonate, Calcium and Vitamin D treatment
- Follow up and Further Investigations
We are looking to hold an education evening about Fragility Fractures and the Fracture Prevention Service in August. Watch out for the date.
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