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Orthogeriatric care pathway: a prospective survey of impact on length of stay, mortality and institutionalisation

  • Trauma Surgery
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Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Care pathways for elderly hip fracture patients are increasingly implemented but there has been only limited evaluation of their use. Our objective was to investigate the impact of such a care pathway on the use of healthcare resources and on patients’ outcomes.

Materials and methods

The prospective survey covered 493 hip fracture patients 65 years of age or older that were treated either before “Usual Care = (UC)” or after “Co-Managed-Care = (CMC)” implementation of the care pathway. Primary outcome was length of stay (LoS). Secondary outcomes were 1-year mortality and change in residential status from prefracture baseline to 1-year after surgery. Data were analysed by descriptive and interferential statistics and adjustment for baseline differences amongst the two patient groups was done.

Results

Patients in the CMC sample had more preexisting comorbidities (CCI 2.5 versus 2.1). Prior to the fracture, a larger proportion amongst them needed help in ADL (49 versus 26 %), and they were more likely to reside in a nursing home (36 versus 29 %). Prefracture mobility status was equal in both samples. In the CMC sample LoS was significantly shorter (LoS 8.6 versus 11.3 days, p < 0.01) and patients were less likely to experience a complication (59 vs 73 %, p < 0.01) while being in the hospital. There was no significant difference in 1-year mortality or in change of residential status.

Conclusions

A care pathway for elderly hip fracture patients allowed decreased LoS without affecting mortality or change of residential status 1 year after fracture compared to prefracture baseline.

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Acknowledgements

Prof. Suhm reports grants from AO Foundation, grants from Department of Surgery University Hospital Basel, during the conduct of the study; personal fees and non-financial support from Eli Lilly, from Roche, from DePuySynthes, from MSD, outside the submitted work. Dr. Friedman reports personal fees from AO North America, outside the submitted work.

Conflict of interest

No conflict of interest was reported on by the other co-authors.

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Correspondence to N. Suhm.

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N. Suhm and R. Kaelin are these authors have contributed equivalently to this publication.

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Suhm, N., Kaelin, R., Studer, P. et al. Orthogeriatric care pathway: a prospective survey of impact on length of stay, mortality and institutionalisation. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 134, 1261–1269 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-014-2057-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-014-2057-x

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