Reduced delays in A&E for elderly patients with hip fractures.
Published guidelines recommend early transfer of patients with hip fractures to hospital wards and avoidance of unnecessary delays in A&E. We describe a protocol whereby the liaison of an orthopaedic trauma co-ordinator with A&E reduced A&E-to-ward transfer times by 43%. Following introduction of the new protocol, 39% of hip fracture patients were in a ward bed within 3 h of admission to A&E compared to 4% previously. The new protocol also reduces administrative workload for the on-call orthopaedic SHOs.
Charalambous
C P
CP
University Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK. bcharalambos@hotmail.com
Yarwood
S
S
Paschalides
C
C
Siddique
I
I
Paul
A
A
Hirst
P
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D004739:England; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000592:standards*; D011859:Radiography; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013997:Time Factors; D014850:Waiting Lists