Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine whether coordination between healthcare providers at an inpatient rehabilitation facility and healthcare providers in a community setting improves osteoporosis medication use in the community. METHODS: In 2012, a coordination project between an inpatient geriatric rehabilitation facility located in north-central Israel and general practitioners in the community setting was initiated. In this retrospective pseudo-experimental study, we compared osteoporosis medication use among patients who were hospitalized at the facility following an osteoporotic fracture during 2011-2012, and who constituted the control group (n=120), and patients who were hospitalized at the facility during 2013-2015, and who constituted the trial group (n=129). Data were collected from the patients' records and from records of the health maintenance organization concerning medications issued to the patients by pharmacies. RESULTS: Differences were observed between the trial and the control group in osteoporosis medication management by healthcare providers, both at the inpatient rehabilitation facility and in the community, suggesting favorable trends. However, osteoporosis medication use in the community was slightly lower in the trial group, then in the control group (32.8% vs. 34.2%, respectively). A regression analysis indicated that the only variable predicting use of osteoporosis medications in the community was a previous diagnosis of osteoporosis in the community. CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicate that mere coordination between the healthcare settings is insufficient in order to ensure continued care in the community, emphasizing the need for an osteoporosis coordinator.