On World Osteoporosis Day (20 October 2026) Healthy Bones Australia is encouraging pharmacists to register their community pharmacy to participate in a unique Australia-wide osteoporosis health literacy initiative.
Healthy Bones Australia, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), Fred IT Group and Healthily have collaborated to offer a free Osteoporosis Medication Health Literacy Program for pharmacies that use Fred Dispense Plus software. Over 2,700 patients have already received the digital bundle of five tailored educational resource packages delivered over a six-month period via SMS at the time of their osteoporosis medicine being dispensed.
Healthy Bones Australia is the leading consumer organisation focused on reducing broken bones and improving bone health across Australia. The theme for World Osteoporosis Day in 2026 is ‘Strengthen your bones to protect bone health.’
Healthy Bones Australia CEO Greg Lyubomirsky said “These digital resources can improve awareness about osteoporosis and the role of treatment. This national Program aims to support long-term medication adherence, to reduce preventable fractures and hospitalisations.”
The Program is unique in that it delivers digital resources of osteoporosis information, animations, educational videos by pharmacists, and quizzes. The resources are available in the patient’s preferred choice of five languages.
Award winning pharmacist Sara Murdock said: “I was delighted to participate in the resource development as the Arabic speaking pharmacist for the educational videos. Other languages available include Greek, Mandarin and Vietnamese, and of course, English. It is so important that in a multicultural country like Australia that health resources are provided in a form that maximises patient understanding and knowledge.”
How the Osteoporosis Medication Health Literacy Program works
The Program works through the integration of Healthily’s patient education platform, GoShare, with Fred Dispense Plus dispensing software.
“The Program sends a series of educational resource packages by SMS to my patients when they are dispensed their osteoporosis medicines. It is seamless, doesn’t interrupt my workflow and it’s good to know patients are receiving quality, evidence-based resources about their disease state. I recommend other Fred Dispense Plus pharmacies to sign up for the Program”, said Carina Telder, pharmacist owner and manager of 2026 Pharmacy Excellence Award winner, Chemist Discount Centre Bunbury.
Program project advisory committee pharmacist Ben Wilkins, owner of Eastern Road Pharmacy in Turramurra, Sydney said: “Having these tailored educational resources delivered directly to patients via their phone, complements the counselling we already provide in the community pharmacy. Results show that patients are very satisfied with the educational content. Feedback from nearly 1,200 patients rates the resource satisfaction at 4.48 (where 5 = very helpful/ 4 = helpful).”
Pharmacies that use Fred Dispense Plus dispensing software and wish to participate in the Osteoporosis Medication Health Literacy Program can register their interest via:
Registration Form for Osteoporosis Medication Health Literacy Program
The initiative is funded by the Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing under the Quality Use of Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Pathology Program.
About Healthily
Healthily is an Australian health technology company specialising in digital patient education to improve health literacy and empower patients to play a more active role in their healthcare. Healthily’s platform, GoShare, enables health professionals to send their patients tailored health information by email, SMS and conversational voice AI.
About Fred IT Group
Fred IT Group is Australia’s largest provider of Pharmacy IT solutions, servicing more than 3000 pharmacies. Fred’s leadership in medication safety, management and eHealth during its 30 plus years includes electronic prescriptions, real-time prescription monitoring, cloud-based applications improving medication access and management, and the first digital script list.
About The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA)
PSA is the national Peak Body for Australia’s 40,000+ pharmacists, bringing together every pharmacist from every sector and connecting them with the resources and professional development they need to succeed. Through proactive advocacy, PSA ensures pharmacy will remain a rewarding and enjoyable career into the future.
About Healthy Bones Australia (HBA)
HBA is a national non-for-profit organisation and the peak body representing consumers living with osteoporosis. HBA is focused on increasing community and health professional awareness about poor bone health while promoting early diagnosis and improved management to prevent fractures. HBA advocates for osteoporosis to be a higher priority within Government health policy.
Media Contact:
Name: Dr Tina Campbell, CEO, Healthily
Phone: 0418 536 596
Email: tina.campbell@healthily.com.au
20 October 2026