The length of hospital stay following a hip fracture has decreased significantly during the past decades. Knowing that a hip fracture patient is often one with several comorbidities and high mortality, is it possible to further decrease the length of stay without compromising the quality of care? Prior to November 2007 a hip fracture patient at Svendborg Hospital would be admitted to the orthopedic department. Postoperatively the patient would be treated by the orthopedic surgeons. If needed a geriatric consult could occur. If the patient was eligible she could be transferred to the geriatric department for further rehabilitation. After November 2007 eight orthopedic beds were dedicated to hip fracture patients, in an orthogeriatric setting. The patient was treated operatively by the orthopedic surgeons, and then a geriatric consultant was responsible for the rest of the stay. Nurses and therapists were dedicated to the care of hip fracture patients, and had recieved special training regarding. The patient would stay in the same bed throughout the hospitalisation.Introduction
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