TOTAL PATIENT CARE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HIP FRACTURES

Abstract

Introduction: The treatment of hip fracture patients differs widely throughout Europe. In the SAHFE project (Standardised Audit of Hip Fractures in Europe) it was found that both waiting time to operation and mean hospitalisation time for operated patients was considerably higher in certain Mediterranean countries compared to the Northern parts of Europe. Local tradition influences both the choice of operation method and the routines for rehabilitation. Background factors were rather similar with mean age around 80 years and a predominance of female patients, 75% were women. Experiences from good examples of treatment throughout Europe are important to optimise the overall hip fracture treatment of benefits both for the individual patient and for the society in form of resources needed. The costs for hip fracture treatment are already considerable and with an ageing population the resources for treatment of these patients need to be optimised throughout the world. With more elderly in the populations, the total number of hip fracture patients is prognosticated to increase 5 times in the next 50 years. This symposium deals with means to improve the treatment results by focusing on the patient to make possible the best rehabilitation results after different operative procedures. Examples will be given from centres who have worked on the whole treatment chain for these elderly resource consuming patients.