An article published in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research examined healthcare costs for hip fractures and overall outcomes for quality of life.
"Not only is surgery extremely successful in returning hip fracture patients to active, independent living but the procedure also provides a significant societal benefit and value," said John Tongue, MD, co-author of the study. "These are important findings as the nation ages, and as policy makers and payers increasingly focus on the rising healthcare costs."
Here are five key findings from the study:
• Lifetime societal benefits in the United States reduced direct medical costs of hip fracture surgery by $65,000 to $68,000 per patient.
• Lifetime societal savings exceed $16 billion for older patients.
• Hip fracture surgical repair produced an average increase of 2.5 quality-adjusted life years based on the patient's life expectancy and physical function level for patients with intracapsular fractures.
• The surgical treatment increases 1.9 QALY for patients with extracapsular fractures.
• Surgical costs for a displaced intracapsular fracture were estimated $19,710 greater than nonoperative treatment.
• Costs for both displaced intracapsular fracture and extracapsular fracture were offset by savings from lower long-term medical costs — $84,990 for intracapsular fractures and $90,281 for extracapsular fractures.
• Lifetime costs of hip fractures are estimated at $81,300, with 44 percent of costs associated with nursing facility expenses.
• Lifetime per-patient societal savings from hip fracture surgery estimated at $160,000.