ArticleOsteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA2021
Virtual fracture liaison clinics in the COVID era: an initiative to maintain fracture prevention services during the pandemic associated with positive patient experience.
Article in Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 25 citations in OpenAlex.
- Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis During COVID-19: Systematic Review and Practical Guidance.Calcified tissue international · 2021Pooled it
- Osteoporosis documentation following hip fracture: a retrospective cohort study from a tertiary hospital.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Article
- Home-Based Telemedicine in Rheumatology-A Scoping Review.ACR open rheumatology · 2024Article
- Use of a Virtual Multi-Disciplinary Clinic for the Treatment of Post-COVID-19 Patients.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Perspectives on Fracture Liaison Service in Austria: clinical and economic considerations.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Review
- Bone health in rural Australia: a mixed methods study of consumer needs.Archives of osteoporosis · 2023Article
- Patient characteristics associated with the acceptability of teleconsultation: a retrospective study of osteoporotic patients post-COVID-19.BMC health services research · 2023Article
- Observational
- Remote Management of Osteoporosis.Current treatment options in rheumatology · 2022Review
- The Impact of COVID-19 on the Optimal Management of Osteoporosis.Journal of bone metabolism · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
We introduced virtual fracture liaison clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to support clinical care while DXA services were down-turned. We observed that virtual FLS clinics are effective in delivering fracture risk assessment, health promotion, and clinical management and are well received by patients with positive patient experience.
introductionWe examined the impact of virtual FLS telephone clinics, as an alternative to face-to-face clinics during the COVID-19 lockdown.
methodsPatients presenting with low trauma fracture were recruited according to standard criteria. A structured telephone clinic appointment was offered, which included fracture risk and health promotion assessment and a treatment plan. Risk factors, demographics, fracture type, FRAX scores, and outcomes were analysed. We assessed patient experience with an anonymised patient survey.
resultsClinical outcomes from virtual clinics were assessed (77F/33M; mean age 65.7 years). The mean 10-year observed fracture risk for major osteoporotic fracture was 18.2% and 7.0% for hip fracture. We observed high 'attendance' rates at 79%; however, a significant number were still not available for telephone review (11%) or cancelled their appointment (10%). A recommendation for bisphosphonate treatment was made in 54% of the cohort based on National Osteoporosis Guidelines Group (NOGG) criteria. Follow-up DXA assessment is planned for 64%, according to fracture risk and NOGG guidance. We received 60 responses from the initial patient survey. Ninety percent rated their overall experience of service at 4 or 5 (very good to excellent). Ninety-eight indicated they would recommend the service to others.
conclusionsVirtual clinics are effective in delivery of fracture risk assessment and clinical management with positive patient experience. While a significant proportion will require DXA follow-up to complete the clinical assessment, virtual clinics have mitigated delays in fracture prevention interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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