Health services and clinicians can use these clinical priorities, organisational models and additional resources to deliver best-practice care for people with a hip fracture.
A hip fracture is a break occurring at the top of the thigh bone (femur), near the pelvis. It is a significant injury in an older person and is associated with significant morbidity, loss of function and mortality. Sub-optimal management can result in avoidable complications, prolonged hospitalisation and poorer patient outcomes.
Standards
Hip Fracture Care Clinical Care Standard
Produced by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, the Standard provides guidance to clinicians and health services on delivering appropriate care for people with a hip fracture.
The following resources were originally developed as one of the 13 clinical initiatives of Leading Better Value Care, a program accelerating value-based healthcare in NSW.
For clinicians and services
What to improve
Read about the 4 clinical priority areas for hip fracture care:
- Timely assessment and treatment of pain
- Surgery within 36-hours of arriving at hospital (if appropriate)
- Coordinated orthopaedic and geriatric services
- Patients getting back on their feet within a day if possible
How to improve
Explore options for different organisational models to tailor clinical services for your local requirements:
- Structured orthogeriatric service
- Coordinated care applying orthogeriatric principles
Case study
Additional resources
- Australian and New Zealand Guideline for Hip Fracture Care
- Australian and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry
- Fascia iliaca block
Resources for clinicians and their patients
- Hip fracture care consumer fact sheet
- Fact sheet about the Standard for clinicians
- Orthogeriatric hip fracture care: Clinical practice guide