Jean
Chabut, Deputy Director of
Public Health Administration at
the Michigan Department of
Community Health, welcomed NOF
to Michigan and called attention
to the high prevalence of low
bone mass and osteoporosis in
Michigan, its serious
consequences, and the
opportunity to prevent its
spread.
Dr.
Michael Kleerekoper, MD, MACE,
Fellowship Director,
Endocrinology at St. Joseph’s
Mercy Hospital, Chief Medical
Officer, MicroMRI Inc. and
Member of the National
Osteoporosis Foundation Board of
Trustees focused attendees’
attention on the prevalence of
osteoporosis nationally and the
need for improved prevention and
care of osteoporosis in Michigan
through osteoporosis specific
medical school curriculum.
In the afternoon,
Amy Slonim, PhD, Senior Public
Health Advisor and Director of
Programs at the Michigan Public
Health Institute, moderated a
panel of local experts, who
discussed challenges to
osteoporosis healthcare and
prevention in Michigan.
Dr.
Henry Bone, MD, of the Michigan
Consortium for Osteoporosis,
opened the panel discussion by
speaking about calcium and
vitamin D deficiencies among
nursing home residents, the high
prevalence of
osteoporosis-related fractures
in this population, and the need
to improve bone health in
nursing homes through
appropriate prescriptions of
calcium and vitamin D. The panel
examined avenues to raise
awareness about calcium and
vitamin D deficiency through
local, state and national
advocacy efforts.
Dr.
David Bauer, MD, of Bone Density
Specialists, discussed his work
with the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention on fall
prevention initiatives. Dr.
Bauer also called for additional
fall prevention research to
decrease the incidence of
osteoporotic fractures in
Michigan and across the nation.
He emphasized that a fall is the
final event that leads to an
osteoporotic fracture and that
focusing on fall prevention
would reduce serious fractures--
especially hip fractures that
often lead to a downward spiral,
ultimately leading to death, in
osteoporosis patients.
Jean
Chabut, Deputy Director of
Public Health Administration at
the Michigan Department of
Community Health, welcomed NOF
to Michigan and called attention
to the high prevalence of low
bone mass and osteoporosis in
Michigan, its serious
consequences, and the
opportunity to prevent its
spread.
Dr.
Michael Kleerekoper, MD, MACE,
Fellowship Director,
Endocrinology at St. Joseph’s
Mercy Hospital, Chief Medical
Officer, MicroMRI Inc. and
Member of the National
Osteoporosis Foundation Board of
Trustees focused attendees’
attention on the prevalence of
osteoporosis nationally and the
need for improved prevention and
care of osteoporosis in Michigan
through osteoporosis specific
medical school curriculum.
Dr.
Henry Bone, MD, of the Michigan
Consortium for Osteoporosis,
opened the panel discussion by
speaking about calcium and
vitamin D deficiencies among
nursing home residents, the high
prevalence of
osteoporosis-related fractures
in this population, and the need
to improve bone health in
nursing homes through
appropriate prescriptions of
calcium and vitamin D. The panel
examined avenues to raise
awareness about calcium and
vitamin D deficiency through
local, state and national
advocacy efforts.
Dr.
David Bauer, MD, of Bone Density
Specialists, discussed his work
with the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention on fall
prevention initiatives. Dr.
Bauer also called for additional
fall prevention research to
decrease the incidence of
osteoporotic fractures in
Michigan and across the nation.
He emphasized that a fall is the
final event that leads to an
osteoporotic fracture and that
focusing on fall prevention
would reduce serious fractures--
especially hip fractures that
often lead to a downward spiral,
ultimately leading to death, in
osteoporosis patients.
