Every year, 2 million bone breaks occur due to osteoporosis. Attendees at the 2013 AAOS annual meeting in Chicago witnessed the impact of osteoporosis and bone breaks firsthand through the National Bone Health Alliance (NBHA) 2Million2Many (www.2Million2Many.org) campaign’s “cast mountain.” The mountain of casts in Chicago’s McCormick Place represents the number of fractures that occur in the U.S. in just 1 day. AAOS is among the 49 members of the NBHA.

The campaign’s message “50+ fracture, request a test” encourages consumers and health care professionals to ensure that all patients age 50 and older who have sustained a fracture receive a bone density test to check for osteoporosis. A variety of resources to help spread the message, including a campaign kit, fact sheets, and postcards, are available at www.2million2many.org/resources

Implementing a secondary fracture prevention program such as a fracture liaison service (FLS) can help reduce the incidence of osteoporosis and bone breaks. An FLS is a coordinated preventive care model that operates under the supervision of bone health specialists and fosters collaboration with the patient’s primary care physician.

In addition, the NBHA and its partners have also launched Fracture Prevention Central, a resource to help healthcare professionals, payers, and administrators develop and implement fracture prevention and care coordination programs. The website includes case studies, best practices, and resources to help sites establish and maintain a fracture liaison service program. For more information, visit www.FracturePreventionCENTRAL.org