Pathpoint FLS: An AI-Enabled Platform for Closing the Osteoporosis Treatment Gap in Europe

Fragility fractures caused by osteoporosis are a major and growing health challenge across the UK and Europe. After an initial fracture, patients are at very high risk of suffering further, often more serious fractures, yet the majority are never assessed or treated to reduce this risk. This gap exists not because of a lack of clinical guidance, but because current Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) rely on fragmented, labour-intensive processes that make it difficult to identify patients consistently, apply guidelines, and ensure follow-up care.

Pathpoint FLS is a digital health project that aims to transform how secondary fracture prevention is delivered. The project will develop and validate an AI-enabled software platform that supports healthcare professionals by automating key steps in the FLS pathway: identifying patients at risk, assessing fracture risk, recommending evidence-based treatments, and supporting long-term review. The platform is designed as a Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and will integrate into existing hospital IT systems, ensuring it fits naturally into clinical workflows rather than adding extra burden.

The project will be delivered by a collaboration between UK and European partners with expertise in clinical workflow software and medical imaging AI. Over 24 months, the platform will be tested using anonymised retrospective data and demonstrated in real clinical environments across several European countries. This will ensure that the system is clinically credible, technically robust, and suitable for use across diverse health systems.

By improving the consistency and efficiency of fracture prevention pathways, Pathpoint FLS aims to help healthcare teams initiate treatment earlier, reduce avoidable repeat fractures, and improve patient outcomes. In the longer term, the project supports more sustainable healthcare by reducing hospital admissions, long-term disability, and associated costs, while contributing to the wider digital...