AGS, ADGAP join forces to improve care for seniors with hip fractures

The American Geriatrics Society and the Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs are developing an interdisciplinary geriatrics-orthopedics co-management intervention, with support from the John A. Hartford Foundation, designed to improve care of seniors hospitalized with hip fractures, according to a press release.

“Addressing risk factors for harmful events that can occur when vulnerable older adults are hospitalized reduces complications and enhances function — two goals at the heart of geriatrics care,” Richard W. Besdine, MD, professor of medicine and public policy at Alert Medical School, said in a press release. “With the generous support of the John A. Hartford Foundation, we’ll be able to encourage national uptake of this co-management intervention and ultimately train an array of health professionals to employ geriatrics principles that can keep elders healthy, independent, and active for as long as possible.”

The newly developed care program will aim to improve health outcomes through person-centered care while decreasing health care spending, according to the release.

Next steps for the program include locating prospective sites, along with determining specific models and tools that can help integrate geriatrics and orthopedics care.

Both the AGS and The ADGAP hope that a second phase of collaboration will take place, allowing them to market and distribute the co-management program to more than 100 health care facilities, systems and training hospitals.

“A truly interdisciplinary, coordinated approach that involves geriatrics specialists in each step of caring for older people with osteoporotic fractures reduces complications, shortens hospital stays, decreases costs, and improves mortality,” Daniel Mendelson, MD, professor of medicine, division of geriatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, said in the release.