Fractured neck of femur patients: Rehabilitation and the acute hospital

Abstract

Typically, fractured neck of femur patients admitted to an acute hospital are discharged to a community hospital for a period of rehabilitation after their treatment. However, there is concern that this might unnecessarily extend the total period of hospitalisation for these patients. Using data from a local acute hospital, we used discrete event simulation to predict the practicability of fractured neck of femur patients remaining in an acute hospital for their entire superspell (the overall length of stay across hospitals). We tested scenarios in which patient superspell duration was shortened, as well as a scenario in which no reduction in superspell length was observed. The model predicts that—even assuming that the superspell of fractured neck of femur patients could be significantly reduced—bed occupancy levels at the acute hospital would increase to operationally infeasible levels. Therefore, it is unlikely that fractured neck of femur patients could remain in a typical acute hospital unless there were sufficient increases in available resources.