Hip fracture patients recover faster with ERAS program

Editor's Note

In high-risk hip fracture patients, an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program lowers mortality rates, reduces hospital stays, and results in fewer complications, finds this study presented July 23 at the American College of Surgeons 2018 Quality and Safety Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Results showed that ERAS:

• cut nearly 2 days off the length of stay, without increasing readmission rates, and patients were less likely to require a transfer to a nursing facility
• dropped mortality rates nearly 50% from 9.7% to 4.2%, and morbidity rates dropped by 33%
• decreased the rate of pneumonia by nearly 50%.

The researchers are now looking at expanding the ERAS program to other patient populations.