Orthopaedic Hospital Offers Low Cost Bone Density Screenings In Observance Of National Women's Health Week And May Osteoporosis Prevention Month

Main Category: Bones / Orthopaedics
Article Date: 14 May 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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For most people, the month of May is synonymous with the time tested tradition of spring cleaning and organizing. As many people set aside time for spring activities, May also signifies National Women's Health Week (May 11 - 17) and Osteoporosis Prevention Month - two significant occasions that Orthopaedic Hospital supports with its offering of $50 bone density screenings to fight the growing prevalence of osteoporosis, a silent and widespread disease that causes more than 1.5 million fractures each year in the U.S.

"In the last decade, we have seen that osteoporosis continues to be a growing and serious problem among women, men and even children in some cases," said James V. Luck, Jr., MD, president, CEO and medical director at Orthopaedic Hospital. "Adding to the problem are consistently rising healthcare costs, decreased health insurance coverage and an aging population. This creates conditions for an environment where many people will remain undiagnosed until they suffer a serious bone fracture, which could threaten the rest of their lives.

"Our mission is to work both within and outside of our community to address and neutralize the problem by educating people who are at risk and urging detection and prevention," Dr. Luck added.

Osteoporosis can affect every bone in the body with the most commonly occurring fractures in the spine, hips and wrists. In the U.S., more than 34 million people are at risk for developing osteoporosis, a disease characterized by low bone mass and loss of bone tissue. Currently, more than 20 million American women suffer with this preventable disease while researchers have found that 20 percent of men are also at risk for developing porous and brittle bones.

As a 97-year-old healthcare provider in Los Angeles and leader in orthopaedic medicine, Orthopaedic Hospital has been offering special low cost osteoporosis screenings for more than 20 years. The scan is painless and doctors use the most current scanning equipment to measure bone density and fracture risk assessment. In observance of National Women's Health Week kicking off on Mother's Day and May Osteoporosis Prevention Month, Orthopaedic Hospital is offering the screenings at this special rate through August 2008.

To make an appointment for an osteoporosis screening, patients may call the Radiology Department at (213) 741-8391 or for more information about Orthopaedic Hospital and its services, visit http://www.orthohospital.org.

Orthopaedic Hospital