Surrey Memorial Hospital, located in the Fraser Health Authority, B.C. is the latest site to establish a BreakFree Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) for patients with a fragility fracture of the hip, funded by the Brookfield Chair in Fracture Prevention.
The FLS program is based on Osteoporosis Canada’s evidence-based research, and together with the Brookfield Chair in Fracture Prevention, they have collaborated to implement the fourth FLS site in B.C. The Surrey BreakFree FLS began assessments in February 2025.
Surrey Memorial Hospital is one of the busiest hospitals in B.C. and treats almost 300 hip fracture patients each year. It is now linked with partner FLS programs in B.C. at Richmond, Peace Arch and Chilliwack Hospitals where the FLS coordinators have created a vibrant community of practice to support each other’s work.
Launching this initiative through the orthopedic service at Surrey Memorial Hospital, eligible patients will be identified and assessed by an FLS coordinator, in close collaboration with the healthcare team. The team includes Cheryl Bugalski, FLS Nurse Coordinator, Dr. Jeffery Tong, Endocrinologist as FLS Medical Lead, Dr. Keith Neufeld, Orthopedics as FLS Orthopedic Champion and Leane Sutton, Director of Surgical Services as Administrative Lead.
“The BreakFree Fracture Liaison Service at Surrey Memorial Hospital has been very well received by both patients and their families. It’s clear there was a gap in care for patients with fragility hip fractures, and the introduction of the FLS has been instrumental in addressing this need.”
Cheryl Bugalski, FLS Nurse Coordinator
The collaboration and work between both the Brookfield Chair and Osteoporosis Canada is part of a major initiative to foster and seed fund new FLS programs across Canada. Since the start of this partnership the result has seen the fostering of new FLS sites in provinces previously without an FLS program, and an increase in the number of sites in provinces with only one or more sites, despite years of substantial advocacy and efforts.
The Brookfield Chair in Fracture Prevention, together with Osteoporosis Canada, has now funded new programs in provinces across the country with Surrey Memorial Hospital being the most recent location to implement a BreakFree FLS program.
