Shibi Kunjumon, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, is committed to helping patients enjoy fulfilling, active lives through good bone health.
A member of UTMB’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation since 2017, she conducted a Quality Improvement project that revealed 20 to 25 percent of patients with fragility fractures and osteoporosis do not receive treatment for their underlying bone disease, with and without fractures.
In response, the department established the Bone Health Clinic to address this treatment gap (“Capture the Fracture”). Dr. Kunjumon found this to be important, seeing as how we age, healthy bones begin to thin and weaken.
“These changes can lead to osteoporosis and other conditions that make bones more brittle and prone to fractures. Many people remain unaware of their bone health until they experience a hip, spine, or wrist fracture,” she says.
At the Bone Health Clinic, Dr. Kunjumon’s role involves screening and diagnosing osteoporosis and other metabolic bone disorders to prevent secondary fractures. The care includes coordination to obtain bone density scans and fall risk assessments, as well as counseling patients on preventative measures such as diet, exercise, and maintaining posture; referring to PT to strengthen muscles; and offering education on collagen and vitamin supplements. She also manages medication therapy for osteoporosis patients, including ongoing treatment, monitoring, and annual follow-up.
There are a variety of reasons patients may be referred. The Bone Health Clinic serves patients older than 50 referred by a physician or nurse practitioner for either having had a fragility fracture or being at risk for a fragility fractures. Fragility fractures are one of the signs of poor bone health.
Dr. Kunjumon strongly believes in the importance of patient education. “By equipping patients with the knowledge and tools they need, we can prevent further pain and damage to the skeletal system, offering hope for a healthier future,” she says.
The most fulfilling part of her work is developing trusting relationships with her patients. Many new patients come to her through referrals from their friends and family. She has received many positive outcomes from her patients and is proud to have taken care of numerous seniors who are 90 and even 100+ years old, leading active and healthy lives.
Dr. Kunjumon expresses her gratitude to all the orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, primary care physicians, gynecologists, neurosurgeons, rheumatologists, and interventional radiologists who refer patients to the Bone Health Clinic.
She says the case volume at the Orthopedic Bone Health Clinic has significantly increased over the past eight years thanks to these referrals and the trust placed by these colleagues across the institution.
Learn more about services in the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Bone Health Clinic.
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