Geriatric intertrochanteric hip fractures: an economic analysis

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Health Economics
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Hip fractures represent a significant societal burden due to high economic and social costs.
• Managed healthcare systems necessitate a thorough examination of healthcare expenditures, particularly for common geriatric injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an economic cost-analysis of geriatric intertrochanteric hip fractures within a hospital system.
• To evaluate the financial impact of these fractures on hospital resources and patient care.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of financial and hospital data for elderly patients undergoing open reduction and internal fixation for intertrochanteric hip fractures.
• Examination of correlations between patient age and various hospital cost components, including length of stay and net income.
• Assessment of the impact of introducing a case manager to the orthopedic surgical team over a 36-month period.

Main Results:

• Increasing patient age did not correlate with length of stay, overall hospital cost, or net hospital income.
• No significant age-related differences were found in costs for pharmacy, radiology, respiratory therapy, or operating room supplies.
• Statistically significant correlations were observed between patient age and costs for the operating room, blood, and anesthesia.
• The addition of a case manager showed a trend toward decreased length of stay, but did not affect overall patient care costs.

Conclusions:

• Patient age is not a primary driver of overall hospital costs for intertrochanteric hip fractures treated surgically.
• Specific cost categories, such as operating room, blood, and anesthesia, show age-related variations.
• Case management may influence length of stay but not necessarily the total economic impact on the hospital system.