(a) The Department of Health shall coordinate with other agencies and organizations as funds become available to establish, promote, and maintain an osteoporosis prevention and treatment education program in order to raise public awareness, to educate consumers, to educate and train health professionals and service providers, and to carry out other purposes.
(b) For purposes of administering this subchapter, the State Health Officer shall do all of the following:
(1) Identify the appropriate entities to carry out an osteoporosis prevention and treatment education program;
(2) Work to improve the capacity of community-based services to osteoporosis patients;
(3) Work with governmental offices, community and business leaders, community organizations, healthcare and human service providers, and national osteoporosis organizations to coordinate efforts and maximize state resources in the areas of prevention, education, and treatment of osteoporosis; and
(4) Identify and, as funds become available, replicate or use successful osteoporosis programs and procure related materials and services from organizations with appropriate expertise and knowledge of osteoporosis.
(c) As funds become available, the department shall use the following strategies for raising public awareness on the causes and nature of osteoporosis, the personal risk factors, the value of prevention and early detection, and the 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) Providing health information and risk factor assessment in regard to osteoporosis at public events;
(3) Targeting populations at risk for osteoporosis;
(4) Providing reliable information about osteoporosis to policy makers;
(5) 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, and community-based organizations; and
(6) Any other strategy for raising public awareness about osteoporosis that is consistent with the provisions of this subchapter.
(d) As funds become available, the department shall use the following strategies for educating and training physicians, health professionals, and community service providers in regard to the most up-to-date, accurate scientific and medical information on osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, therapeutic decision-making about osteoporosis, guidelines for detecting and treating osteoporosis in special populations, and risks and benefits of medications and research advances:
(1) Identify and obtain educational materials for the professional healthcare provider which translate the latest scientific and medical information into clinical applications;
(2) Raise awareness among professional healthcare providers as to the importance of osteoporosis prevention, early detection, treatment, and rehabilitation; and
(3) Provide workshops and seminars for in-depth professional development in the field of the care and management of the patient with osteoporosis.
Structure Arkansas Code