Morris Hospital Adds New Osteoporosis Management Program
October 18, 2023, MORRIS, IL – Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers has launched a new service to help patients better manage osteoporosis. Led by Nurse Practitioner Taelor Stuedemann with Morris Hospital Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, the goal of the new Osteoporosis Management Program is to reduce breaks and fractures through earlier diagnosis and improved management of the condition.
Patients can be referred to the program by a provider, or they can self-refer if they are at risk for osteoporosis.
“Our Orthopedics & Sports Medicine providers often see patients with osteoporosis related fractures or breaks that could have been prevented with better management of their condition,” says Stuedemann. “It is important for the community to know about osteoporosis so they can recognize risk factors within themselves or loved ones and then seek treatment.”
Osteoporosis is a bone density disease that develops when bone mineral density and bone mass decreases, or when the quality or structure of bone changes. Most people do not know they have osteoporosis until they break or fracture a bone. One out of every 10 adults over the age of 50 will develop osteoporosis.
Because osteoporosis has no symptoms, it often goes undiagnosed. Risk factors for osteoporosis include being a woman age 65 or older or a man age 70 or older, low testosterone levels, previous bariatric surgery, a history of eating disorders, and long-term smoking or alcohol abuse.
Patients start Morris Hospital’s Osteoporosis Management Program by meeting one-on-one with the nurse practitioner at the Orthopedics & Sports Medicine office in Morris where they discuss their medical history.
If a pattern of bone breaks or fractures is present in the patient’s history, a DEXA scan may be ordered to learn more about the bone’s density or strength, an important step in diagnosing osteoporosis. Bloodwork can also be used to gain more insight into the patient’s medical history.
“Our osteoporosis program is a great resource for our community if they need help managing osteoporosis,” says Stuedemann. “We dig deep into each patient’s history and use that information to give them the best treatment plan possible.”
While there is currently no cure for osteoporosis, consistent treatment can reduce the severity of the condition,. That’s why effective management of osteoporosis is so important.
Individuals who have risk factors or a family history of osteoporosis are encouraged to talk to their primary care provider. Patients can call Morris Hospital Orthopedics & Sports Medicine at 815-942-4875 and ask for an appointment with the Osteoporosis Management Program or visit www.morrishospital.org/osteo.
