Geriatric Fracture Program Tied to Improved Outcomes

THURSDAY, Feb. 9, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- The Geriatric Fracture Program (GFP), implemented in a mixed-practice health system, resulted in improved inpatient outcomes and reduced costs of care, according to a study published in the February issue of Health Services Research.

Kathleen Breda, N.P., M.S.N., from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills, California, and colleagues evaluated outcomes associated with the GFP, an integrated inpatient and outpatient program using the 4Ms Framework (what Matters most to patients, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility). The analysis included 746 GFP-enrolled patients and 852 patients seen by non-GFP-participating physicians.

The researchers found that GFP-enrolled patients with all fracture types had a significantly reduced length of stay (marginal effect, −2.12), length of stay index (marginal effect, −0.33), and total direct costs (marginal effect, −$5,316). However, the magnitude of the effects was greater for nonhip fractures. Time to surgery, 30-day readmission, and one-year mortality rates did not vary significantly by group. Nearly one-fourth of 746 patients (23 percent) had a postdischarge visit with a participating geriatrician at six or more months.

"These findings confirm that, in addition to providing older adults with the care they need to recover from a catastrophic fracture, this program is an effective model that can be replicated in other health systems," a coauthor said in a statement.

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