IHFD Benefits

IHFD data can help to drive continuous quality improvement in hip fracture care for people in Ireland. The findings show that each hospital providing hip fracture surgery should be resourced to provide a seven day a week service to trauma patients — including prompt access to theatre, medical support and early access to physiotherapists.

Since the inception of IHFD in 2012, we’ve seen tangible improvements like:

• The recording of data in all sixteen eligible hospitals in Ireland

• National service re-design e.g. trauma bypass for hip fractures

• An increase in the percentage of patients admitted to an orthopaedic ward within 4 hours (11%)

• An increase in the percentage of patients having surgery within 48 hours (69%)

• More patients mobilised on the day of or day after surgery (77%)

• More patients are seen by a Geriatrician (50%)

• More patients received a bone health and falls assessment to prevent future falls and fractures (73%)

• Median length of stay was 13 days

• Coverage of hip fracture cases has increased to 95%

• Completeness of data has increased to 98%.