A study links delays over four hours in emergency care for hip fracture patients to higher death rates and more extended hospital stays, highlighting the critical need for prompt treatment. These delays also add significant healthcare costs.
A recent study published in the Emergency Medicine Journal linked waiting over four hours in emergency care to increased death rates and prolonged hospital stays for patients with hip fractures. The study analyzed records of 3,266 patients aged 50 and above admitted between January 2019 and June 2022.
The average patient, aged 81, spent nearly four hours in emergency care, but over one-third waited longer. These delays were often associated with winter admissions, more complex fractures, and higher surgical risks. Findings revealed that patients who waited longer had a 90-day survival rate of 93%, compared to 96% for those treated sooner. This difference equates to one additional death per 36 patients waiting over four hours.
Extended delays before surgery were also linked to a 14% higher risk of death at 90 days. A wait of more than four hours was associated with a 29% increase in death risk at 60 days, 36% at 90 days, and 15% at final follow-up. Patients facing delays also spent an extra day in the hospital, costing the center an estimated £770,000 (Rs 8,45,22,669), underscoring the urgent need for timely emergency care for hip fracture patients.
(Source:https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-10-hour-emergency-linked-heightened-death.html )
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