Need and Rationale for Geriatric Fracture Programs

Fragility fractures among the older adult population are common, costly, and one of the top acute care facility diagnoses for this age group. Approximately 150,000 older adults in the United States are admitted to a hospital for treatment of a fragility hip fracture annually, with an estimated cost of more than $10 billion to the healthcare system. On admission to the hospital, patient treatment may be delayed, fragmented, or inadequate, adversely impacting length of stay and short- and long-term patient outcomes. Development of a geriatric fracture program implementing standardized, evidence-based guidelines can streamline clinical pathways and care processes and has been demonstrated to be a cost-effective method to improve patient outcomes.