Northwest Specialty Hospital opens North Idaho's first Bone Health Clinic

POST FALLS, Idaho, Sept. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwest Specialty Hospital recently opened Northwest Bone Health, an important new medical service that is the first of its kind in North Idaho. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, it is estimated that worldwide there is a fracture caused by osteoporosis every three seconds.

More than 320,000 hip fractures occur annually in North America and are associated with an average mortality rate of 21% within just one year. Furthermore, hip fractures nearly double the overall risk of mortality. Worldwide the incidence of hip fractures is on the rise and has grown by an estimated 25%.

The importance of offering this service could not have come at a better time, as Kootenai county continues to grow older. According to statistics released by the Department of Labor, the average rate of residents older than 50 moving into the area is four times higher than those under 50. This rapidly growing segment of the population is most at risk for osteoporosis.

Rick Rasmussen, CEO of Northwest Specialty Hospital added that, "We are fortunate that Dr. Tanya Blaty has chosen to work with us at Northwest Specialty Hospital. She is a uniquely talented provider whose studies have included Mayo Clinic, Columbia University, and the University Wisconsin-Madison. She authored peer-reviewed papers and has engaged in international speaking opportunities on bone health. Northwest Bone Health provides a much-needed service to many of those in our community and complements our growing number of services offered here at Northwest Specialty Hospital."

Dr. Tanya Blaty specializes in bone health, which consists of conditions such as osteopenia and osteoporosis. Dr. Blaty attended medical school at Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. Throughout her residency and fellowship training, she was very active in the bone field through creating a quality improvement project, participating in multiple research studies/publications related to bone health in orthopedics, speaking at a number of osteoporosis meetings and conferences, and was selected to complete a preceptorship with world-renowned bone health experts at Columbia University.

Located in Post Falls near Northwest Specialty Hospital's main campus, Northwest Bone Health will provide state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging services utilizing a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanner that can assess trabecular bone score (TBS) and vertebral fracture assessment (VFA). It will also offer novel therapies including bisphosphonates, IV infusions, Prolia, Forteo, and Tymlos while encouraging an active lifestyle, fall prevention, and proper calcium, vitamin D intake, and other lifestyle modifications.

About Northwest Specialty Hospital
Northwest Specialty Hospital has been committed to providing the highest quality health care to all in a caring, compassionate and professional environment since 2002. Owned and operated by physicians Northwest Specialty Hospital is independently ranked amongst the best hospitals in the nation for both patient satisfaction and safety. Northwest Specialty Hospital offers a growing number of medical and surgical services that feature award-winning patient satisfaction, gourmet cuisine, and state of the art technologies. http://nwsh.com

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SOURCE Northwest Specialty Hospital