§ 63-1-260.3. Establishment, promotion, and maintenance of osteoporosis prevention and treatment education program - Needs assessment.

The State Department of Health shall establish, promote, and maintain an osteoporosis prevention and treatment education program in order to effectuate the purposes of this act as follows:

1.  The Department shall use, but is not limited to, the following strategies for:

a.raising public awareness on the causes and nature of osteoporosis, personal risk factors, value of prevention and early detection, and options for diagnosing and treating the disease:

(1)an outreach campaign utilizing print, radio, and television public service announcements, advertisements, posters, and other materials,

(2)community forums,

(3)health information and risk factor assessment at public events,

(4)targeting at-risk populations,

(5)providing reliable information to policymakers, and

(6)distributing information through county health departments, schools, area agencies on aging, employer wellness programs, physicians, hospitals and health maintenance organizations, women’s groups, nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, and departmental regional offices,

b.educating consumers about risk factors, diet and exercise, diagnostic procedures and their indications for use, risks and benefits of drug therapies currently approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration, environmental safety and injury prevention, and the availability of diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitation services:

(1)identify and obtain educational materials, including brochures and videotapes, which accurately translate the latest scientific information on osteoporosis in easy-to-understand terms,

(2)build a statewide system of resources to provide information and referral on all aspects of osteoporosis, including educational materials and counseling,

(3)establish state linkage with an existing toll-free hotline for consumers,

(4)facilitate the development and maintenance of osteoporosis support groups, and

(5)conduct workshops and seminars for lay audiences, and

c.educating physicians and health professionals and training community service providers on the most up-to-date, accurate scientific and medical information on osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, therapeutic decision-making, including guidelines for detecting and treating the disease in special populations, risks and benefits of medications, and research advances:

(1)identify and obtain education materials for the health care provider which translates the latest scientific and medical information into clinical applications,

(2)raise awareness among physicians and health and human services professionals as to the importance of osteoporosis prevention, early detection, treatment, and rehabilitation,

(3)identify and use available curricula for training health and human service providers and community leaders on osteoporosis prevention, detection, and treatment,

(4)provide workshops and seminars for in-depth professional development in the field of the care and management of the patient with osteoporosis, and

(5)conduct a statewide conference on osteoporosis at appropriate intervals;

2.a.              The Department shall conduct a needs assessment to identify:

(1)research being conducted within the state,

(2)available technical assistance and educational materials and programs nationwide,

(3)the level of public and professional awareness about osteoporosis,

(4)the needs of osteoporosis patients, their families, and caregivers,

(5)needs of health care providers, including physicians, nurses, managed care organizations, and other health care providers,

(6)the service available to the osteoporosis patient,

(7)existence of osteoporosis treatment programs,

(8)existence of osteoporosis support groups,

(9)existence of rehabilitation services, and

(10)number and location of bone density testing equipment.

b.Based on the needs assessment, the Department shall develop and maintain a list of osteoporosis-related services and osteoporosis health care providers with specialization in services to prevent, diagnose, and treat osteoporosis.  This list shall be disseminated with a description of diagnostic testing procedures, appropriate indications for their use, drug therapies currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and a cautionary statement about the current status of osteoporosis research, prevention, and treatment.  Such cautionary statement shall also indicate that the Department does not license, certify, or in any way approve osteoporosis programs or centers in the state.

Added by Laws 1999, c. 198, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 1999.