FAQs

Who is eligible to enroll?

Hospitals, health systems, and physician practice groups in the United States are all eligible to enroll in Own the Bone.  Several health plans and skilled nursing facilities have also successfully used Own the Bone to support their bone health efforts.

Does AOA monitor the way the program is implemented?

No.  Own the Bone is a tool.  Patients can be identified for the program in a variety of ways. However they are identified, it is the responsibility of the implementing site’s program coordinator to ensure the patient receives the interventions recommended in the program.

Why is there an annual subscription fee to participate in the program?

The annual subscription fee paid by participating sites helps to support the costs of hosting and verifying the registry data by an external service provider, and ensures the sustainability of the program.  The yearly fee is not intended to be an obstacle for any hospital interested in implementing Own the Bone and the AOA is active in helping sites to find solutions so that they can use the program.

What does a site receive with the participation fee?

Subscribers are provided with many benefits. Some of the benefits are listed below:

• Comprehensive start-up materials to help simplify the implementation of the program (available both in hard copy and online through a secure, subscriber-only section)
• Access to a national Web-based registry, with reporting and benchmarking capabilities
• Best practice and webinar library
• Patient education tools
• Physician education tools
• System generated Patient and Physician letters documenting the patient’s risk factors
• Public relations tools (press release/communication templates and access to a “participating member” logo)
• Recognition in major national media for sites that are successfully implementing the program and documenting their improved patient care
• Custom semi-annual data reports
• Access to the Own the Bone community forum and user group calls
• Free educational webinars with CME credit
• Monthly E-newsletters

What does the one-time configuration fee include?

A one-time configuration fee covers the costs associated with contract negotiation and site enrollment into the program. Support and enrollment costs include:

• Registry costs involving the setup fee, site training, and support while entering patients into the registry
• One-on-one program demonstrations and training webinars and calls with institutions
• Development/dissemination of informational program materials for new sites
• Publishing the Own the Bone Subscriber’s Guide and branded Patient Education Brochures included with enrollment
• Recognition in major national media as a newly enrolled Own the Bone institution
• Staff and Own the Bone leadership support during program implementation
• Legal review and revisions of the Own the Bone Agreement

Learn more about the participation fee and one-time configuration fee:

Own the Bone Fee Structure

The costs of participating in the program are annual, along with a one-time configuration fee upon enrollment. Newly enrolled sites will receive a prorated fee for the remaining calendar year based on the month in which they enroll. Systems enrolling multiple hospitals receive discounts and AOA encourages system participation.

Annual Subscription Fee

Yearly Base Fee Includes:

• Registry access for unlimited number of site users
  • REDCap Cloud setup for new users
  • Training for all new users
• Registry hosting and data verification fee
• Dedicated staff to assist with inquiries pertaining to participation
• Continued access to best practice materials, protocols and informational webinar library
• Access to the Own the Bone community forum and user group calls
• Participating site logo, PR templates, marketing tool kits
• Semi-annual data report
• Recognition for newly-enrolled and Star Performer sites in the US News & World Report’s Best Hospitals Guidebook
• Free educational webinars with CME credit
• Discounts on Own the Bone Symposium

*Prorated annual fee is due at time of enrollment with signed Participating Site Agreement. Fees are billed on an annual basis with payment due January 31st of each year.  To qualify as a system all hospitals must be owned by the same company or parent company.

New Site, One-time Configuration Fee

Configuration fee includes:

• Program evaluation support
• Legal review of the participating site agreement
• Registry set up, training, and support
• Program development and onboarding materials
  • Phone calls to discuss implementation
  • Own the Bone subscriber’s guide
  • 25 Starter brochure pack
  • Access to best practice materials
  • Access to protocols, case studies and other materials
  • 1-on-1 mentoring with other Own the Bone users
• New site recognition and communications support
  • Recognition in the US News & World Report Best Hospitals Ad
  • Toolkit to promote participation in the registry, including logo, press release, and custom marketing and communications assistance

We already have an osteoporosis program, why should we participate?

Own the Bone gives you the opportunity to enhance your current efforts by submitting your data to a national registry and enabling your institution to benchmark its performance against other participating centers.  Own the Bone sites are recognized in a variety of national media outlets for their commitment to improving patient care in bone health.  Providers at enrolled institutions are connected to ongoing bone health education and a community of fellow implementers.

Is this program just for orthopaedic surgeons?

No.  While developed by the American Orthopaedic Association, Own the Bone encourages a multi-specialty approach to manage/treat patients’ underlying bone health after a fracture.  A physician or nurse from any specialty can “champion” the program within an institution. AOA believes that since orthopaedic surgeons are quite often the initial treating physician for patients with fragility fractures they have a role to play in these patients’ underlying bone health.  Research has shown that the orthopaedic surgeon has the opportunity to have what is called a “teachable moment” with a patient who has recently experienced a fragility fracture:  if the healthcare provider suggests to the patient that it is important that he/she takes steps to improve his/her bone health and understands he/she has had this “Bone Attack,” the patient is more apt to be compliant with care and prevention protocols.  While an orthopaedic surgeon might not necessarily be the physician to follow the patient long-term, AOA believes that orthopaedic surgeons should be a part of the multi-specialty care of a patient.

What staff is needed to run the program?  How many hours does it take?

A best practice from the pilot study is to designate a coordinator for the program, such as a nurse practitioner.  This person doesn’t necessarily have to be a new employee or a FTE; in fact, some hospitals report that only a few hours a week are required.  Hospitals implementing the program report that data entry per patient takes only 3-4 minutes.  Own the Bone subscribers are provided with a Case Report Form to simplify data collection, allowing users to enter data into the registry at a convenient time.

Can a nurse practitioner charge for his/her services?

Fee for service reimbursement depends on the services being provided and varies according to your institution’s policies.  Osteoporosis Reimbursement Policy for Healthcare Professionals is provided to Own the Bone program subscribers as a reference guide.

Is Own the Bone considered a research project?  Who will have access to the data?

Own the Bone is designed as a quality improvement program.  Through the online registry, each participating site will have access to the data through system generated reports. Reports will show performance against each measure in the Own the Bone Protocol.  Sites will also be able to access internal and external benchmarking reports to compare their own results against aggregate results of all sites participating in the program.

Does Own the Bone suggest which pharmacotherapy physicians should prescribe?

No. The Own the Bone Protocol does not recommend specific pharmacologic treatment. Own the Bone follows the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s Guidelines and highlights when patients should be considered for pharmacologic treatment.  The decision regarding which drug is most appropriate must be made as part of the physician-patient relationship.

Do sites need to follow up with patients?

The Own the Bone program recommends that sites follow-up with patients entered in Own the Bone.  This step, however, is optional.

Does Own the Bone meet any Joint Commission standards?

The Joint Commission does not currently accredit hospitals for osteoporosis or fragility fracture care.  However, in 2008, the Joint Commission released a study called Improving and Measuring Osteoporosis Management

Own the Bone is highlighted in the report.  There are current efforts to encourage the addition of these Joint Commission measures to their accreditation process; consequently, Own the Bone is ahead of the curve.

Can I customize the data registry and add or delete fields?

No.  The data registry cannot be customized for individual sites.  The registry is designed as a tool to help sites change and document the way patient care is provided.  A site can opt not to collect certain data fields if desired.  Doing so will be reflected in the reports generated.

Is the Registry compatible with Electronic Medical Record Systems?

Not at the present time. Some sites utilize a checkmark within their EMR system to indicate that a patient’s data is contained within Own the Bone registry.

What are the Information Technology (IT) requirements? Do we need to purchase any special software?

The Own the Bone patient registry is web-based.  As such, users only need to have access to an internet connection and a current browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc.).  There is no software to buy or install.

What type of platform runs the registry?

AOA has contracted with nPhase, Inc. to launch a second generation version of the Own the Bone patient registry.  The nPhase, Inc. registry system is called REDCap Cloud.

Is an IRB required to participate?

Own the Bone is a quality improvement program; as such, it is normally not subject to a full Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.  Participating sites have sole responsibility to obtain any internal approvals necessary for participation in the Program, including any IRB approval or waiver.  For more information, download the Own the Bone Data User Agreement (Adobe PDF File)

Is the registry HIPAA compliant?

The Own the Bone registry collects a Limited Data Set under HIPAA. The only elements of potentially identifiable Protected Health Information (PHI) included are date elements and information for patients over the age of 89.