The impact of physician characteristics on bone mineral density ordering: Canadian Quality Circle (CQC) national project

fractures. For women, the hazard ratio was 2.9 (95% CI: 1.0, 8.2) fold higher for those with a hip fracture during the 1st year of follow-up compared with women without these fractures. Also for women with vertebral fractures, the hazard ratios were 3.5 (95% CI: 1.1, 11.4) and 3.8 (95% CI: 1.5, 9.5) for those occurring during the 1st and 2nd year of follow-up, respectively. Conclusions: Hip and vertebral fractures contribute to mortality in Canadians. Thus, interventions that reduce fracture rates should be implemented. Conflict of interest: G. Ioannidis, none; A. Papaioannou, consultant: Amgen, Eli Lilly, Merck Frosst, Novartis, Procter and Gamble, Sanofi-Aventis, Servier; W.M. Hopman, none; J.C. Prior, none; C.C. Kennedy, none; L. Pickard, none; K.S. Davison, none; T. Anastassiades, none; J.P. Brown, consultant: Abbott, Amgen, Sanofi-Aventis Canada, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celltech, Eli Lilly Canada, Glaxosmithkline, Merck Frosst, Novartis, NPS Pharma, Pfizer, Procter and Gamble, Servier, Wyeth, Zelos; W.P. Olszynski, consultant: Merck Frosst Canada Ltd., Amgen Canada Inc., Novartis Pharmaceutical Canada Inc., Aventis Pharma Inc., Pfizer Canada Inc., Procter and Gamble Pharmaceutical Canada, Inc., Eli Lilly Canada Inc; D. Hanley, consultant: Amgen, Eli Lilly, Merck Frosst, Novartis, Procter and Gamble, Sanofi-Aventis, Servier; E. Papadimitropoulos, employee: Eli Lilly and Company; R.G. Josse, consultant: Lilly, Procter and Gamble/ Sanofi-Aventis, Merck, Novartis, Servier, GlaxoSmithKline, Amgen, Wyeth; D. Goltzman, consultant: Lilly, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Procter and Gamble, Servier; J.D. Adachi, Amgen; Astra Zeneca, Eli Lilly; GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Frosst, Novartis, Procter and Gamble; Roche; Sanofi-Aventis, Servier, Pfizer.