Image of male nurse pushing senior woman in a wheelchair in nursing facility

New guidance has been released to advise providers on how to treat, rehabilitation and prevent hip fractures in senior patients.

Developed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the “Appropriate Use Criteria for the Treatment of Hip Fractures in the Elderly” includes 30 potential patient scenarios rated as “appropriate,” “may be appropriate” and “rarely appropriate.” The guidelines also include a checklist of 12 preoperative initiatives for providers, including managing warfarin and discussing what type of setting the patient will be discharged to.

The AAOS also released appropriate use criteria for rehabilitation after hip fractures in elderly patients, which include pain management, interdisciplinary management of recovery at rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities, and care to prevent deep vein thrombosis.

“It is very important to think ahead to make the right care choices after a fracture is repaired,” said Robert Quinn, M.D., of the AAOS. “Not only can this help patients recover, but this also helps prevent fractures from happening again, which is a big problem.”