Orthopaedic Institute at Concord Hospital Receives Star Performer Recognition from American Orthopaedic Association

Concord Hospital is proud to announce that it has received the Star Performer designation from The American Orthopaedic Association’s (AOA) Own the Bone program – an achievement reserved only for institutions that perform the highest level of fragility fracture and bone health care for patients. The Orthopaedic Institute at Concord Hospital is proud to once again receive this outstanding level of recognition based upon our commitment to helping patients understand their risk for fractures as well as the steps to take to prevent a re-occurrence,” commented Dr. Sean Burns of Concord Orthopaedics PA. “This acknowledgment is truly a testament to all the hard work of our team.” To earn this recognition, Own the Bone Star Performers must achieve a 75 percent compliance rate with at least five of the 10 program prevention measures including:

• Educating patients on the importance of calcium and vitamin D, physical activity, fall prevention, limiting alcohol intake, and smoking cessation;
• Recommending and initiating bone mineral density testing;
• Discussing pharmacotherapy and treatment (when applicable);
• Providing written communications to the patient and their physician regarding specific risk factors and treatment recommendations.

Emily Higgins, Own the Bone Coordinator and Orthopaedic Nurse Educator at Concord Hospital, further added, “A broken bone from a low impact event such as a fall is also known as an osteoporotic or fragility fracture. This is a serious complication of osteoporosis and often the first sign that an individual has the condition. Prevention is key; therefore, it’s important to talk with your primary care provider at your next visit about screening for vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis.”

About the Orthopaedic Institute at Concord Hospital

The Orthopaedic Institute at Concord Hospital is a nationally recognized team of over 20 board-certified surgeons with specialized expertise in orthopaedic and rheumatology care. Supported by a team of nurses specially trained in orthopaedic care, the team offers personalized attention to patients from diagnosis to rehabilitation.