Improved outcomes and reduced medical costs through multidisciplinary co-management protocol for geriatric proximal femur fractures: a one-year retrospective study

To manage the rapidly growing incidence of, and related medical burden resulting from hip fractures in older adults in an aging society, studies involving orthogeriatric co-management treatment models have reported improved outcomes, including reduced medical costs. The treatment gap for osteoporosis was however seldom emphasized in the published treatment protocols. Aiming to improve the existing orthogeriatric protocol, we have established a patient-centered protocol for elderly patient hip fractures, which simultaneously focuses on fracture care and anti-osteoporosis agent prescription in regarding to healthcare quality and medical expense. This was a retrospective study comparing patients who enrolled in the multidisciplinary co-managed protocol for geriatric hip fractures and those who did not. The inclusion criteria for this study were: (a) single-sided hip fractures treated from 1 to 2018 to 30 June 2020, (b) patients who were 60-years or older (c) trauma treated within 3 days from time of injury, and (d) minimal follow-up period of 12 months after surgery. From 1 to 2018 to 30 June 2020, 578 patients were included (267 patients in the protocol group vs. 331 patients in the conventional group). The protocol group was associated with significantly reduced lengths of hospital stay (p = 0.041), medical expenditures (p = 0.006), and mortality (p = 0.029) during their acute in-hospital admission period. Early osteoporosis diagnosis and anti-osteoporosis agent prescription were achieved in the protocol group, with a significantly wider coverage for BMD assessment (p