Short-term mortality associated with failure to receive home care after hemiarthroplasty

Hemiarthroplasty is often the treatment of choice after hip fracture, particularly in frail elderly patients. Such patients may benefit from home care after discharge. We assessed factors associated with the receipt of home care and evaluated the risk of death within three months after discharge.

We obtained administrative data for patients 65 years or older in the province of Quebec who were discharged alive from hospital after hemiarthroplasty during the period 1997-2004. We evaluated destination after discharge and mortality within three months after discharge.

Of 11 326 study patients, 5.6% were discharged home with home care, 29.9% home without home care, 2.0% to a rehabilitation centre, 24.2% to a nursing home and 38.3% to another hospital. Among patients who were discharged home, those who were older, had osteoarthritis, had an emergent admission and were admitted to a high-volume hospital were less likely to receive home care. Discharge with home care was most likely among patients admitted to teaching hospitals, those in hospital for more than seven days, those with atrial fibrillation and those with acute renal failure. Patients who received home care were at lower risk of death than those discharged home without care (hazard ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.39-0.85).

Less than 16% of the patients discharged home after hemiarthroplasty received home care. Those who received such care had a lower risk of death within three months after discharge.