World Osteoperosis Day - Dr Frances Milat

Dr Fran Milat

Fractures due to osteoporosis have a devastating impact on millions of people worldwide and result in enormous socio-economic costs to society and healthcare systems. Yet, despite effective medical advances to reduce fractures, a minority of men and women actually receive treatment.

For Fran Milat, Head of Metabolic Bone Services at Monash Health and Head of the Metabolic Bone Research Group at Hudson Institute, protecting bone and muscle health is paramount to good quality of life and independence in the future.

Fran has dedicated her career to addressing current gaps in osteoporosis. She understands the importance of prioritising osteoporosis and fracture prevention by ensuring that people at high-risk are assessed and appropriately treated.

Having graduated from Monash University in 1996, Fran did much of her physician training at Monash Health. After further clinical and research experience elsewhere, Fran returned to Monash Health in 2009 and established the Metabolic Bone Clinic with the Paediatric Endocrinology Dpartment, in order to address the increasing demand for delivery of specialised care to young adults with bone disorders.

The clinic reviews adolescents and young adults with osteoporosis in the setting of including neurological disease, haematological conditions, renal disease, liver disease, malignancy and other conditions.

In recent years, the service was expanded to include an Osteoporosis Clinic at Dandenong Hospital, to assist with secondary fracture prevent in conjunction with the Orthopaedic Department. This Osteoporosis Clinic continues to expand and now has a team of endocrinologists and training specialists. They have recently had clinical nurse specialist Grace Man join the team, to provide assessment of patients on the orthopaedic ward and education about secondary fracture prevention.

Fran supervises several PhD students in projects to improve bone health in neurological disability, thalassemia, renal disease and women’s health. She is also a Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash University. Fran wishes to thank all Monash staff involved with the Metabolic Bone and Osteoporosis Service for their contribution and commitment to improving the care of patients.

World Osteoporosis Day was on Thursday 20 October.

This year’s theme for World Osteoporosis Day was ‘Love your bones’. Visit the website for information on easy steps you can take to prevent and control osteoporosis.