ABSTRACT
AIM: To describe the service delivery of the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) at Waitemata District Health Board (WDHB) for the year 2020, and to outline how the service evolved in recent years. METHOD: We reviewed and analysed the WDHB FLS database as well as 4-month and 12-month patient follow-up records from the calendar year 2020. RESULTS: In 2020, we identified and assessed 1,225 patients. We either directly initiated anti-osteoporosis medication (AOM) (256), recommended to start AOM with patient's GP (477), or recommended to continue or switch to a different AOM (441) in the vast majority (1174 = 95.8%). In remaining 51 patients, AOM was either deemed unnecessary (owing to relatively young age and good DEXA indices) or patient refused it. Three hundred and thirty dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans were arranged by FLS, and 79.5% were found to be either osteoporotic (32.9%) or osteopenic (46.6%). At 4-month and 12-month follow-up, 85.1% and 74.4%, respectively, of those expected to be on treatment were on treatment. CONCLUSION: The WDHB FLS has expanded and consolidated considerably in recent years. Nationwide implementation of effective FLSs should significantly reduce the burden of fragility fractures.
