A study in Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma investigated whether a co-management model would reduce length of stay and program costs for patients undergoing hip fracture care.
The researchers identified 571 patients who underwent surgery for hip fractures; one group of patients received care with an integrated co-management model pairing orthopedic surgeons with hospitalists or geriatricians, while another group received traditional care.
Here's what they found, when considering patients in the co-managed care group:
1. Length of stay decreased by 6.3 days.
2. Mean cost decreased by $4,953 per case.
3. Mean time to surgery decreased by 16.1 hours.
4. Initiation of the osteoporosis treatment increased from 55.8 percent to 96.4 percent.
5. There was not a significant difference in mortality or readmission rate.