# Clinical Audit to Assess Orthogeriatrician Input to the Management of Elderly Trauma Patients

## TL;DR

This study found that orthogeriatricians are involved less in non-hip fracture patients despite similar outcomes, suggesting more input could improve care.

## Contribution

The study highlights disparities in orthogeriatrician involvement between hip and non-hip fracture patients.

## Key findings

- Hip fracture patients adhered to guidelines 79.4% of the time, while non-hip fracture patients adhered only 19.3% of the time.
- Hip fracture patients were seen by orthogeriatricians 15 times on average, compared to five times for non-hip fracture patients.
- No significant differences in length of stay or 30-day mortality were observed between the two groups.

## Abstract

Objective: The primary objective of this study is to assess the adherence of our department to the British Orthopaedic Association's Standards for Trauma and Orthopaedics (BOAST) guidelines for "the care of the older or frail orthopaedic trauma patient" and the results of this adherence on clinical patient outcome measures.

Methods: This was a clinical audit. All ≥65-year-olds admitted to the orthopaedic department with a fragility fracture between 8 September 2022 and 8 March 2023 with a length of stay (LOS) of >72 hours were included. Patients were stratified into hip fracture (HF) and non-hip fracture (NHF) patients. A further similar cohort of NHF admissions between 8 March and 8 May 2023 was added to the data. The adherence of both cohorts to the national guidelines was recorded. Primary outcome measures of each cohort were recorded such as LOS and patient mortality.

Results: Data from 70 patients was collected. HF patients adhered to the guideline 79.4% of the time (31/39 patients) compared to NHF patients at only 19.3% of the time (6/31 patients) (p<0.001). Further, on average, HF patients were seen by an orthogeriatrician 15 times compared to just five times for NHF patients during their hospital stay (p<0.001). No significant difference in LOS or in mortality at 30 days post-admission was observed.

Conclusion: Medical orthogeriatric care is unequal despite similar LOS and mortality between both cohorts; thus, increasing orthogeriatrician input in NHF patients may lead to better patient outcomes for these patients.