Abstrakt

Hip Fractures in the Elderly: Frequency of Surgery and Trends in its Timeliness before and after the Introduction of Performance Indicator

Alessandra B*, Mario S, Marco F, Chiara B, Silvia C, Tatjana B and Domenico M

Objective: Hip fracture injuries are one of the most significant health problems in the elderly population. The aim of this study was to look at recent trends in the time taken to provide surgical treatment for hip fractures in elderly patients, for the purpose of assessing the impact of a resolution adopted in 2011 by the Regional health service concerning the speedy provision of surgery for hip fractures.

Design: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on the hospital discharge records (Schede di Dimissione Ospedaliera, SDO) routinely collected by the Veneto Regional Authority in an anonymized database.

Setting: Veneto Region.

Participants: The study concerned 57,759 hospital admissions for hip fractures during the decade investigated (2007-2016).

Results: There were considerably more females than males (77%), and the females who underwent surgery were slightly older than the males (84 vs. 82 years old). In the five-year period after the adoption of the Regional Authority’s Resolution, the probability of receiving surgical treatment within 48 hours was much higher than in the previous 5-year period (OR: 2.59; 95% CI: 2.50-2.69), despite an 8% increase in the volume of these procedures in the later period.

Discussion: The Regional Authority’s Resolution clearly emerged as the determinant of an improvement in the timeliness of surgery for hip fractures, with a consequent reduction in the inhospital mortality rate.