Founded in 1887, The American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) is
the oldest orthopaedic association in the world. At its core is its
mission: "To identify, develop, engage, and recognize
leadership to further the art and science of
orthopaedics."
As leaders in orthopaedics, the AOA believed it could positively
impact fragility fracture care. It recognized:
- the role of the orthopaedic surgeon as treating physician
- the need for coordination of care between the orthopaedic
specialty and other medical providers
After piloting the program in
2005, AOA launched Own the Bone in 2009 as a pragmatic tool for
hospitals, medical centers and private practice groups to implement
a fragility fracture prevention program.
Own the Bone was based on the American Heart Association's
successful Get With The
Guidelines(SM) Program.
Cardiologists faced a similar situation as they encountered
patients with myocardial infarctions (MI) not receiving
beta-blockers after an MI.
To address this treatment gap and capitalize on the "teachable
moment," AHA developed GWTG to change the way physicians treated
patients after an MI. This program has been so successful
that the quality measure was removed from the HEDIS list.
AOA gratefully acknowledges AHA's guidance and experience in
developing Own the Bone.
