NMC Health is proud to announce they have received an Own the
Bone Star Performer designation this year, an achievement reserved only for institutions that perform the
highest level of fragility fracture and bone health care. Own the Bone Star Performers like NMC Health must
achieve a 75% compliance rate with at least 5 of the 10 Own the Bone prevention measures including:
educating patients on the importance of calcium and vitamin D, physical activity, fall prevention, limiting
alcohol intake, and smoking cessation; recommending and initiating bone mineral density testing; discussing
pharmacotherapy and treatment (when applicable); and providing written communication to the patient
and their physician regarding specific risk factors and treatment recommendations.
Through participation in Own the Bone and recognition as an Own the Bone Star Performer, NMC Health has
demonstrated a commitment to helping patients understand their risk for future fractures and the steps
they can take to prevent them.
“As an orthopedic surgeon, I saw firsthand the devastating impact of a fragility fractures,” stated Chief
Medical Officer Charles Craig, MD. “That’s why NMC Health’s recognition as an Own the Bone Star Performer
is so important. This designation proves our commitment to going beyond simply treating the break; we are
proactively identifying patients at high risk and ensuring they receive the necessary testing and treatment to
prevent future, and potentially deadly, fractures. We’re proud to be leading the way in comprehensive bone
health care for our community.”
Why Post-Facture Care is Critical
Although more than 53 million Americans already have osteoporosis or are at high risk due to low bone
mass, most will go undiagnosed and untreated. Due to an aging population, the number of Americans with
osteoporosis or low bone density is expected to increase significantly.
A broken bone, also known as an osteoporotic or fragility fracture, is a serious complication of osteoporosis
and often the first sign that a person has the disease. One in two women and one in four men will break a
bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis. Unfortunately, less than half of the nearly two million individuals
who experience fragility fractures each year are tested or treated for osteoporosis.

Those fractures are costly – with associated expenses projected to rise from $57 billion in 2018 to over $95
billion by 2040, as the annual number of fractures increases from 1.9 million to 3.2 million.
Failing to prevent future fractures can be deadly; nearly 25% of patients who suffer a hip fracture die within
a year. The majority who do survive experience a loss of independence and often require long-term nursing
home care.
What is Own the Bone®
NMC Health has taken steps to ensure its osteoporotic fracture patients receive the treatment and care they
deserve through participation in The American Orthopaedic Association’s Own the Bone® quality
improvement (QI) program. More than 330 health care institutions nationwide have participated in Own the
Bone and taken initiative to ensure their osteoporotic fracture patients receive the treatment and care they
deserve. Through the Own the Bone program and its national web-based quality improvement registry, NMC
Health has been provided with the tools to establish a fracture liaison service (FLS) and to document, track,
and benchmark care of fragility fracture patients. Through an FLS program, a care coordinator, such as a
nurse or physician’s assistant, ensures that fragility fracture patients are identified, evaluated, and treated.
What people can do to protect their bones

• Get adequate calcium and vitamin D, either through diet or supplements, if necessary.
• Engage in regular weight bearing and muscle strengthening exercise.
• Prevent falls around the home and be careful of stairs, railings, clutter, etc.
• Avoid smoking and limit alcohol intake to 2-3 drinks per day.
• If you experience a broken bone after age 50, talk to your health care provider and get a bone density
  screening to determine if osteoporosis might be the cause and learn additional steps you might need to
  take to prevent future fractures.