25 Feb Shorter Hospital Stay For Hip Fracture Linked To Higher Mortality After Discharge
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Prof. Peter Nordström
Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation
Geriatrics, Umeå University
Umeå, Sweden
MedicalResearch: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Prof. Nordström: The number of elderly people is increasing, while the number of hospital beds is decreasing in Europe, which may be related to economic constraints and a more efficient health care. This may have contributed to a shorter length of stay in hospital after surgery. We found that a length of stay (LOS) of ten days or less was associated with a progressive increased risk of death after discharge from hospital.
MedicalResearch: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Prof. Nordström: That a length of stay (LOS) of ten days or less is associated with a progressive increased risk of death after discharge from hospital in patients with a hip fracture.
MedicalResearch: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Prof. Nordström: In addition to evaluation of also other diagnoses than hip fractures, further research should seek to gain a better understanding of the underlying cause of the increased risk of death after discharge in surgical patients, and evaluate whether early discharge to rehabilitation centers or nursing homes is associated with a worse outcome.
Citation:
Length of hospital stay after hip fracture and short term risk of death after discharge: a total cohort study in Sweden
Peter Nordström, professor, Yngve Gustafson, professor, Karl Michaëlsson, professor, Anna Nordström, associate professor
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Prof. Peter Nordström (2015). Shorter Hospital Stay For Hip Fracture Linked To Higher Mortality After Discharge
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Last Updated on February 25, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD