BMC research notes
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Development and delivery of patient treatment in the Trondheim Hip Fracture Trial. A new geriatric in-hospital pathway for elderly patients with hip fracture.
Hip fractures are common among frail elderly persons and often have serious consequences on function, mobility and mortality. Traditional treatment of these patients is performed in orthopedic departments without additional geriatric assessment. However, studies have shown that interdisciplinary geriatric treatment may be beneficial compared to traditional treatment. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether treatment of these patients in a Department of Geriatrics (DG) during the entire hospital stay gives additional benefits as compared to conventional treatment in a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (DOS). ⋯ A new treatment program for old hip fracture patients was developed, introduced and run in the DG, the potential benefits of which being compared with traditional care of hip fracture patients in the DOS in a randomised clinical trial.