The Baltic Fracture Competence Centre (BFCC) is a pan-Baltic fracture cooperation network fostering innovation within fracture management. The project consortium consists of a transnational cross-sector partnership involving five hospitals, three companies from the medical technology industry, a research institution, three clusters and one technology transfer organisation.

Due to an ageing society the need for innovative products and clinical procedures for fracture treatment is increasing as a response to age-related fractures and co-morbidities, such as osteoporosis, infections and non-unions. Innovations in fracture management have to improve quality of care for the future.

Lack of information

Clinicians and companies often lack insight information about the total costs and effectiveness of fracture management and causes of adverse health outcome in the hospitals. To overcome this information gap the BFCC will develop and implement a transnational fracture registry of five hospitals from Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden providing evidence about fracture treatment in the clinical “real world” and reveal clinical needs and potentials for innovation.

Identifying the clinical needs

Clinicians will support the innovation process by identifying the clinical needs to ensure user-oriented product development. The collaboration between hospitals across countries will foster the innovation of clinical procedures through the exchange of best practice in fracture management influenced by different national, organisational and regulatory conditions.