Founded in 1887, The American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) is the oldest orthopaedic association in the world. At its core is its mission: “Engaging the orthopaedic community to develop leaders, strategies, and resources to guide the future of musculoskeletal care.”

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

History and Milestones

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(TM) 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.