Osteoporosis visits are up

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http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-07-26-osteoporosis-study_x.htm

U.S. doctor visits for osteoporosis increased nearly fivefold from 1994 to

2003, but probably half of all women with the bone-thinning disease still

have not been diagnosed... The problem, Harrington says, is a lack of

coordination of care among specialists who see patients with osteoporosis.

For example, he says, orthopedic surgeons treat hip fractures but don't

typically refer patients for osteoporosis care.

At last count, 16 papers in medical journals have documented the

undertreatment of osteoporosis, says Harrington, co-author of one of those

papers in 2002.

" Everybody is finding that the easiest paper to write is that osteoporosis

care stinks. "