6239-S

AN ACT Relating to osteoporosis prevention and treatment education; adding new sections to chapter 43.70 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. This act may be known and cited as the "osteoporosis prevention and treatment education act."

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The legislature hereby finds the following:

(a) Osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease, is a major public health problem that poses a threat to the health and quality of life to as many as twenty-five million Americans;

(b) The one and one-half million fractures each year that result from osteoporosis cause pain, disability, immobility, and social isolation, affecting quality of life and threatening people's ability to live independently;

(c) Because osteoporosis progresses silently and without sensation over many years and many cases remain undiagnosed, its first symptom is often a fracture, typically of the hip, spine, or wrist;

(d) One of two women and one of five men will suffer an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetimes;

(e) A woman's risk of hip fracture is equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer;

(f) The annual direct and indirect costs of osteoporosis to the health care system are estimated to be as high as eighteen billion dollars in 1993 and are expected to rise to sixty to eighty billion dollars by the year 2020;

(g) Since osteoporosis progresses silently and currently has no cure, prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment are key to reducing the prevalence of and devastation from this disease;

(h) Although there exists a large quantity of public information about osteoporosis, it remains inadequately disseminated and not tailored to meet the needs of specific population groups;

(i) Most people, including physicians, health care providers, and government agencies, continue to lack knowledge in the prevention, detection, and treatment of the disease;

(j) Experts in the field of osteoporosis believe that with greater awareness of the value of prevention among medical experts, service providers, and the public, osteoporosis will be preventable and treatable in the future, thereby reducing the costs of long-term care;

(k) Osteoporosis is a multigenerational issue because building strong bones during youth and preserving them during adulthood may prevent fractures in later life; and

(l) Educating the public and health care community throughout the state about this potentially devastating disease is of paramount importance and is in every respect in the public interest and to the benefit of all residents of the state.

(2) The purposes of sections 2 through 10 of this act are to:

(a) Create and foster a multigenerational, state-wide program to promote public awareness and knowledge about the causes of osteoporosis, personal risk factors, the value of prevention and early detection, and the options available for treatment;

(b) Facilitate and enhance knowledge and understanding of osteoporosis by disseminating educational materials, information about research results, services, and strategies for prevention and treatment to patients, health professionals, and the public;

(c) Utilize educational and training resources and services that have been developed by organizations with appropriate expertise and knowledge of osteoporosis and to use available technical assistance;

(d) Evaluate existing osteoporosis services in the community and assess the need for improving the quality and accessibility of community-based services;

(e) provide easy access to clear, complete, and accurate osteoporosis information and referral services;

(f) Educate and train service providers, health professionals, and physicians;

(g) Heighten awareness about the prevention, detection, and treatment of osteoporosis among state and local health and human service officials, health educators, and policy makers;

(h) Coordinate state programs and services to address the issue of osteoporosis;

(i) Promote the development of support groups for osteoporosis patients and their families and caregivers;

(j) Adequately fund these programs; and

(k) Provide lasting improvements in the delivery of osteoporosis health care, thus providing patients with an improved quality of life and society with the containment of health care costs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The secretary shall:

(1) Provide sufficient staff to implement the osteoporosis prevention and treatment education program;

(2) Provide appropriate training for staff of the osteoporosis prevention and treatment education program;

(3) Identify the appropriate entities to carry out the program;

(4) Base the program on the most up-to-date scientific information and findings;

(5) Work to improve the capacity of community-based services available to osteoporosis patients;

(6) Work with governmental offices, community and business leaders, community organizations, health care 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

(7) Identify and when appropriate replicate or use successful osteoporosis programs and procure related materials and services from organizations with appropriate expertise and knowledge of osteoporosis, as described in section 9 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The department shall establish, promote, and maintain an osteoporosis prevention and treatment education program as an integral part of its health promotion and disease prevention efforts in order to raise public awareness, educate consumers, educate and train health professionals, teachers, and human service providers, and for other purposes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Within available resources, the department may use any of the following strategies for 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 policy makers;

(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.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Within available resources, the department may use any of the following strategies for 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 United States 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 translate accurately the latest scientific information on osteoporosis in easy-to-understand terms;

(2) Build a state-wide capacity 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.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Within available resources, the department may use any of the following strategies for 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 educational materials for the professional that 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 state-wide conference on osteoporosis at appropriate intervals.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. (1) Within available resources, the department may conduct a needs assessment to identify:

(a) Research being conducted within the state;

(b) Available technical assistance and educational materials and programs nationwide;

(d) Needs of osteoporosis patients, their families, and caregivers;

(e) Needs of health care providers, including physicians, nurses, managed care organizations, and other health care providers;

(f) Services available to the osteoporosis patient;

(g) Existence of osteoporosis treatment programs;

(h) Existence of osteoporosis support groups;

(i) Existence of rehabilitation services; and

(j) Number and location of bone density testing equipment.

(2) 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 must be disseminated with a description of diagnostic testing procedures, appropriate indications for their use, drug therapies currently approved by the United States food and drug administration, and a cautionary statement about the current status of osteoporosis research, prevention, and treatment. The statement must also indicate that the department does not license, certify, or in any way approve osteoporosis programs or centers in the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. (1) The governor may assign an existing interagency health policy group to function in part as an interagency oversight council on osteoporosis.

(2) The council shall assist department of health efforts to:

(a) Coordinate osteoporosis programs;

(b) Establish a mechanism for sharing information on osteoporosis among all officials and employees involved in carrying out osteoporosis-related programs;

(d) Assist other departments and offices in developing and coordinating plans for education and health promotion on osteoporosis;

(e) Establish mechanisms to use the results of research concerning osteoporosis in the development of relevant policies and programs; and

(f) Prepare a report that describes educational initiatives on osteoporosis sponsored by the state and makes recommendations for new educational initiatives on osteoporosis, and transmit the report to the state legislature and make the report available to the public.

(3)(a) The department shall establish and coordinate an advisory panel on osteoporosis that provides nongovernmental input regarding the osteoporosis prevention and treatment education program.

(b) Membership on the advisory panel must include, but is not limited to, persons with osteoporosis, women's health organizations, public health educators, osteoporosis experts, providers of osteoporosis health care, persons knowledgeable in health promotion and education, and representatives of national osteoporosis organizations or their state or regional affiliates.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. (1) The department may replicate and use successful osteoporosis programs and either or both enter into contracts and purchase materials or services from organizations with appropriate expertise and knowledge of osteoporosis for such services and materials as, but not limited to, the following:

(a) Educational information and materials on the causes, prevention, detection, treatment, and management of osteoporosis;

(b) Training of staff;

(d) Conference organization and staffing;

(e) Regional office development and staffing;

(f) Nominations for advisory panels;

(g) Support group development;

(h) Consultation;

(i) Resource library facilities;

(j) Training home health aides and nursing home personnel; and

(k) Training teachers.

(2) The department may enter into an agreement or agreements to work with a national organization or organizations with expertise in osteoporosis to establish and staff an office or offices of that organization in the state to implement parts of the osteoporosis program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. The secretary may accept grants, services, and property from the federal government, foundations, organizations, medical schools, and other entities as may be available for the purposes of fulfilling the obligations of this program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. The secretary shall seek any federal waiver or waivers that may be necessary to maximize funds from the federal government to implement this program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. Sections 2 through 12 of this act are each added to chapter 43.70 RCW.