Developing a bone mineral density test result letter to send to patients: a mixed-methods study (original) (raw)
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Improving bone mineral density reporting to patients with an illustration of personal fracture risk
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 2014
Background: To determine patients' preferences for, and understanding of, FRAX® fracture risk conveyed through illustrations. Methods: Drawing on examples from published studies, four illustrations of fracture risk were designed and tested for patient preference, ease of understanding, and perceived risk. We enrolled a convenience sample of adults aged 50 and older at two medical clinics located in the Midwestern and Southern United States. In-person structured interviews were conducted to elicit patient ranking of preference, ease of understanding, and perceived risk for each illustration.
Journal of osteoporosis, 2016
Introduction. The purpose of this study is to understand the experience of primary care providers (PCPs) using an evidence-based requisition for bone mineral density (BMD) testing. Methods. A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted. Participants were given 3 BMD Recommended Use Requisitions (RUR) to use over a 2-month period. Twenty-six PCPs were interviewed before using the RUR. Those who had received at least one BMD report resulting from RUR use were then interviewed again. An inductive thematic analysis was performed. Results. We identified four themes in interview data: (1) positive and negative characteristics of the RUR, (2) facilitators and barriers for implementation, (3) impact of the RUR, and (4) requisition preference. Positive characteristics of the RUR related to both its content and format. Negative characteristics related to the increased amount of time needed to complete the form. Facilitators to implementation included electronic availability and organizationa...
Contemporary Clinical Trials, 2013
Abstract INTRODUCTION: To describe the rationale and design of an NIH funded randomized controlled trial: the Patient Activation after DXA Result Notification (PAADRN) study. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effect that a direct mailing of Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) results from bone density testing centers to patients will have on patients' knowledge, treatment and self-efficacy. METHODS: We will enroll approximately 7500 patients presenting for DXA at three study sites, the University of Iowa, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Kaiser Permanente of Atlanta, Georgia. We will randomize providers (and their respective patients) to either the intervention arm or usual care. Patients randomized to the intervention group will receive a letter with their DXA results and an educational brochure, while those randomized to usual care will receive their DXA results according to standard practice. The seven discrete outcomes are changes from baseline to 12-weeks and/or 52-weeks post-DXA in: (1) guideline concordant pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapy; (2) knowledge of DXA results; (3) osteoporosis-specific knowledge; (4) general health-related quality of life; (5) satisfaction with bone-related health care, (6) patient activation; and, (7) osteoporosis-specific self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: This trial will offer evidence of the impact of a novel approach-direct-to-patient mailing of test results-to improve patient activation in their bone health care. The results will inform clinical practice for the communication of DXA and other test results.
Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 1998
If bone mineral density (BMD) screening is to achieve the aim of preventing the complications of osteoporosis, women with low BMD measurements must learn that they are at risk, and women at risk must know about and be willing to adopt and persist with measures that can prevent osteoporosis. In this paper we present the results of a randomized controlled trial designed to examine whether disclosing the results of a BMD scan directly to women, as well as through their general practitioners (GPs), improves their knowledge of their bone density results without adverse psychological sequelae. Direct disclosure resulted in 19% (59% vs 40%; 95% CI for difference in proportions: 9.8% to 27.8%) more women being aware of their BMD status at the spine and 22% (58% vs 36%; 95% CI for difference: 12.2% to 29.8%) at the hip. These differences were observed irrespective of risk status. There was no significant difference in anxiety levels between the randomized groups. We conclude, therefore, that...
Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation, 2015
The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of 2 interventions in prompting patients to obtain osteoporosis follow-up after a fracture. Our hypothesis was that a phone call plus letter would yield greater response toward osteoporosis evaluation versus a letter alone to patients after sustaining a fragility fracture. Prospective study randomized 141 patients age 50 years and older with a fragility fracture into 3 groups for comparison. Group 1 (letter only) patients received a letter 3 months after their diagnosis of fracture indicating their risk for osteoporosis and urging them to follow-up for evaluation. Group 2 (phone call plus letter) patients were contacted via phone 3 months after their diagnosis of fracture. A letter followed the phone call. Group 3 (control) patients were neither contacted via phone nor sent a letter. All groups were contacted via phone 6 months after their initial visit to determine if they followed up for evaluation. In group 1, 23 (52.27%) of ...
Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 2014
Summary Guidelines recommend screening for osteoporosis with bone mineral density (BMD) testing in menopausal women, particularly those with additional risk factors for fracture. Many eligible women remain unscreened. This randomized study demonstrates that a single outreach interactive voice response phone call improves rates of BMD screening among high-risk women age 50–64. Introduction Osteoporotic fractures are a major cause of disability and mortality. Guidelines recommend screening with BMD for menopausal women, particularly those with additional risk factors for fracture. However, many women remain unscreened. We examined whether telephonic interactive voice response (IVR) or patient mailing could increase rates of BMD testing in high risk, menopausal women. Methods We studied 4,685 women age 50–64 years within a not-for-profit health plan in the United States. All women had risk factors for developing osteoporosis and no prior BMD testing or treatment for osteoporosis. Patients were randomly allocated to usual care, usual care plus IVR, or usual care plus mailed educational materials. To avoid contamination, patients within a single primary care physician practice were randomized to receive the same intervention. The primary endpoint was BMD testing at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included BMD testing at 6 months and medication use at 12 months. Results Mean age was 57 years. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were similar across the three study groups. In adjusted analyses, the incidence of BMD screening was 24.6 % in the IVR group compared with 18.6 % in the usual care group (P < 0.001). There was no difference between the patient mailing group and the usual care group (P = 0.3). Conclusions In this large community-based randomized trial of high risk, menopausal women age 50–64, IVR, but not patient mailing, improved rates of BMD screening. IVR remains a viable strategy to incorporate in population screening interventions.
Canadian Family Physician, 2016
Objective To identify family physicians' learning needs related to osteoporosis care; determine family physicians' preferred modes of learning; and identify barriers to using electronic medical records (EMRs) to implement osteoporosis guidelines in practice. Design Web-based survey. Setting Ontario. Participants Family physicians. Main outcome measures Quantitative and qualitative data about learning needs related to osteoporosis diagnosis and management; preferred mode of learning about guidelines; and barriers to using EMRs to implement guidelines. Results Of the 12 332 family physicians invited to participate in the survey, 8.5% and 7.0% provided partial or fully completed surveys, respectively. More than 80% of respondents agreed that the priority areas for education were as follows: selecting laboratory tests for secondary osteoporosis and interpreting the test results; interpreting bone mineral density results; determining appropriate circumstances for ordering anterior-posterior lumbar spine x-ray scans; and understanding duration, types, and adverse effects of pharmacotherapy. Qualitative analysis revealed that managing moderate-risk patients was a learning need. Continuing medical education was the preferred mode of learning. Approximately 80% of respondents agreed that the scarcity of EMR tools to aid in guideline implementation was a barrier to using guidelines, and 50% of respondents agreed that if EMR-embedded tools were available, time would limit their ability to use them. Conclusion This survey identified key diagnostic-and treatmentrelated topics in osteoporosis care that should be the focus of future continuing professional development for family physicians. Developers of EMR tools, physicians, and researchers aiming to implement guidelines to improve osteoporosis care should consider the potential barriers indicated in this study. This article has been peer reviewed.
Journal of Clinical Densitometry, 2015
Osteoporosis is a major health concern, estimated to affect millions worldwide. Bone mineral density (BMD) assessment is not practical for many large-scale epidemiological studies resulting in the reliance of self-report methods to ascertain diagnostic information. The aim of the study was to assess the validity of self-reported diagnosis of osteoporosis in a population-based study. This study examined data collected from 906 men and 843 women participating in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Osteoporosis was self-reported and compared against results of BMD scans of the hip and spine. Validity was examined by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and kappa statistic. Osteoporosis was self-reported by 118 (6.7%) participants and identified using BMD results for 64 (3.7%) participants. Specificity and negative predictive value were good (95.1% and 96.0%, respectively), whereas sensitivity and positive predictive value were poor (35.9% and 31.4%, respectively). The overall level of agreement (kappa) was 0.29. The results changed only slightly when we included participants with osteopenia and adult fracture as osteoporotic. Reliance on self-report methods to ascertain osteoporosis status is not recommended.