In pain for months, woman finds help at Cooper

CAMDEN, N.J. (WPVI) -- For months, 79-year-old Lenora Danver was incapacitated by pain.

It all began after she suffered a fall.

"I was bounced around from place to place, and no one could help. It felt like I was old and no one cared," Lenora remembers. "And then a light went off in my head and I went to Cooper."

At Cooper University Hospital, doctors diagnosed Lenora with osteoporosis. She was then treated for eight pelvic fractures.

Kenneth Graf, MD, the Director of the Orthopaedic Trauma and Fracture Care Program, performed minimally invasive surgery to repair these fractures. After recovering quickly from surgery and intense rehabilitation, Lenora was back to enjoying her life with her family.

"Patients who are improperly treated elsewhere can benefit from our geriatric fracture program at Cooper," says Dr. Graf. "We know that one little fall can mean big changes in the quality of a person's life. And we have the capabilities to fix the fractures quickly and get patients back living."

Cooper University Hospital achieved the highest level of certification for their Geriatric Fracture Care Program by the International Geriatric Fracture Society (IGFS). This Premier Level Certification is the first of its kind in New Jersey and the Philadelphia region. Cooper is one of only nine hospitals in the nation to achieve this honor.

"The CORE Certification Program by the IGFS is a quality improvement plan designed to recognize the achievements of programs that exceed outcome benchmarks in the management and treatment of geriatric fractures," explains Douglas Tase, MD, Orthopaedic Surgeon. Dr. Tase led the Cooper Bone and Joint Institute team members who were critical in achieving this designation.

"Dr. Tase and the entire team at Cooper are to be congratulated for the strength of the program they have created," stated Simon Mears, MD, PhD, President of the IGFS. "Our organization's mission to improve geriatric fracture care continues to advance as we see programs such as Cooper embracing our team approach to managing this unique patient population."

One of the biggest healthcare challenges in the nation is the prevalence and cost associated with geriatric fracture care for our aging population. "Geriatric fractures often result from a low trauma event such as a fall from standing height or less," explains Dr. Tase. "These types of fractures are very common in older people - especially those who suffer from osteoporosis - affecting up to one half of women and one third of men over the age of 50."

The IGFS identifies and supports organizations who take a team approach to caring for these patients. When certifying a program, the key quality indicators the IGFS focuses on include time from admission to surgery, readmission rates, mortality, and osteoporosis education.

"Patients who come to Cooper for geriatric fracture care receive the highest quality care in a compassionate environment," said Graf.

"What gives me great joy is to hear about patients, like Lenora, and knowing that beneath the outcome data the IGFS measures, there are real patients at Cooper who benefit from this program," says Dr. Mears.

For more information on the Cooper Bone and Joint Institute Orthopaedic Trauma and Fracture Care Program, please visit CooperHealth.org/ortho, or call 1.800.8.COOPER.