Hip fractures in the elderly. Discharge predictions with a functional rating scale
J. S. Keene and C. A. Anderson
During a 12-month period, 44 (41%) of 108 patients (50 years of age or
older) treated for hip fractures were discharged to a nursing home. One
year after the fracture, 29 (66%) remained institutionalized, five (11%)
had died, and ten (33%) had returned to their own homes. The discharge
medical plan of care, completed by the surgeon, registered nurse, and a
social worker, was correct in predicting temporary institutionalization in
only 66% of the cases. In an attempt to provide a more accurate method of
predicting the outcomes of hip-fracture patients, a functional rating scale
was developed. The scale proved to be a valuable adjunct in identifying
those patients who were predisposed to permanent institutionalization.
