Closing the care gap: Optimizing post-fracture care in osteoporosis through FAN

Fragility fractures, a clinical signal of underlying osteoporosis, affect millions of women over the age of 50 worldwide. They reduce independence, place a heavy burden on healthcare systems and increase the patient’s risk of another fracture in the next 2 years significantly. Despite advancements in the diagnosis, assessment and pharmaceuticals that reduce the risk of fragility fractures, a staggering care gap remains with more than 75% of affected women untreated, leaving them vulnerable to another costly and potentially life-altering fracture. Closing the care gap after the first fracture has been prioritised by professional and patient societies, government health departments and policy makers and represents a key priority for industry partners. The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) describes Fracture Liaison Services (FLSs), coordinated secondary fracture prevention systems, as the single most important step in directly improving patient care.

In 2020, UCB and Amgen joined forces with leading experts to create the Fracture Liaison Service Academy & Network (FAN). The aim of FAN was to develop practical tools and provide training and peer support to establish or strengthen FLSs across Europe to complement the wealth of resources available through the IOF’s Capture the Fracture® program and the Fragility Fracture Network. Professor Kassim Javaid, University of Oxford and FAN Steering Committee Co-Chair, explores why secondary fracture prevention matters, the impact of FLS and how FAN is helping clinicians transform care.
 

Q1. Why is secondary fracture prevention such a critical issue globally?
Fragility fractures affect millions worldwide, with each fracture greatly increasing the risk of another. These events not only reduce quality of life but also place a huge burden on families, caregivers, and society through lost productivity. There is an implementation gap for bringing clinically and cost effective methods of fracture risk assessment and treatment to adults over 50 years who get a fracture after falling from standing height or less.  The most effective health system model to help close this care gap is through FLSs.
 

Q2. What difference can Fracture Liaison Services make for patients?
FLSs are a proven model of care that systematically identify patients after a fracture, assess their   fracture risk and then ensure they receive tailored interventions. Evidence shows that these services not only reduce the risk of further fractures but also improve access to treatment, enhance patient experience, reduce hospital admissions and generate substantial cost savings.

To ensure the quality of these benefits stays consistent, FLSs are supported by clear performance metrics and training standards. The IOF’s Capture the Fracture® program provides key performance indicators (KPIs) at both organizational and patient levels, while the FFN Secondary Prevention competency framework equips the workforce with the skills to deliver care confidently, from proficient to expert standards. Together, these tools position FLS as a complete, standardized, and evidence-based model of secondary fracture prevention.
 

Q3. Why was FAN created, and what role does it play in supporting HCPs?
While many HCPs understand the benefits of FLSs, they often face barriers such as institutional prioritisation, resource limitations and uncertainty about how to improve performance. FAN was established in 2020 to overcome these challenges by putting practical, easy-to-use tools and peer expertise directly into the hands of clinicians. The community now includes >400 HCPs across Europe.

By capturing the experience of early FLS adopters and translating it into scalable resources, FAN bridges the gap between global evidence/expertise and local implementation. The FAN approach is multidisciplinary and multinational, recognizing the need for engaging with important stakeholders such as nurses, orthopaedic surgeons, geriatricians, rheumatologists, endocrinologists and policy makers. This approach to closing the gap between science, evidence and local implementation is extremely valuable, as it can be scaled to other disease areas. 
 

Q4. What does FAN offer for HCPs who want to start or strengthen their FLSs?
FAN provides HCPs with a comprehensive package of resources to establish and optimize FLSs. Members can access step-by-step “Getting Started”, and “Becoming Effective” workbooks / manuals that are supported by video tutorials to guide them through: a) building a business case to start an FLS, and b) delivering care effectively after starting. The platform also offers FAQs, links to key publications and recordings from previous FAN webinars. In addition, targeted coaching clinics and mentorship opportunities connect members with experienced peers. FAN ensures HCPs have the tools and support they need at every stage. Furthermore, to make its tools more widely accessible, FAN is actively working towards offering resources in multiple languages. 
 

Q5. How can HCPs get involved, and why should they join the network?
Joining FAN is free and gives HCPs across Europe access to a supportive community and a wealth of practical resources. Members can ask questions, share successes, and learn from peers who have successfully implemented FLSs. The FAN “Getting Started”, and “Becoming Effective” workbooks are examples of very useful tools for educating HCPs on how to set up an effective FLS. Beyond fracture care, the FAN approach demonstrates how evidence can be translated into effective local practice - a model that could benefit other long-term conditions too. By expanding FLS’s coverage across Europe, we can reduce the incidence of fragility fractures and help more people with osteoporosis live independently and with confidence.

Click here to register for FAN now! Together, let’s create a world free from fragility fractures.