Impact of orthogeriatric care: prescription patterns in hospitalized older adults
Authors' conclusion
The orthogeriatric approach successfully streamlined both management across key therapeutic domains and patient survival.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutively admitted patients aged ≥65 years hospitalised with proximal femoral fracture (proximal femoral fractures (PFF))
- Participants
- 872 participants
- Exposure
- Post-implementation of an orthogeriatric unit vs pre-implementation
- Outcome
- In-hospital prescribing across analgesia, anaemia, delirium, antimicrobial stewardship, bowel regulation and osteoporosis
Methodological detailsobservational, pre- vs post-implementation comparison, consecutive admissions, 23-month
- Observational
- Pre- vs post-implementation comparison
- Consecutive admissions
- 23-month
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Lactulose prescription
P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Lactulose prescription
- Lactulose, pre- vs post-implementation (p < 0.001)
- 8.1% vs 74.5%
Oral bisacodyl prescription
- Oral bisacodyl, pre- vs post-implementation (p < 0.001)
- 2.7% vs 48.9%
Folic acid prescription
- Folic acid, pre- vs post-implementation (p < 0.001)
- 6.8% vs 22.0%
Ferric carboxymaltose prescription
- Ferric carboxymaltose, pre- vs post-implementation (p < 0.001)
- 1.4% vs 20.6%
Calcium prescription
- Calcium, pre- vs post-implementation (p < 0.001)
- 2.7% vs 51.5%
Vitamin D prescription
- Vitamin D, pre- vs post-implementation (p < 0.001)
- 2.5% vs 56.7%
Intramuscular haloperidol use
- Intramuscular haloperidol use significantly decreased (p < 0.001)
- 21.7% vs 10.9%
Zoledronic acid prescription
- Zoledronic acid, pre- vs post-implementation (p < 0.001)
- 1.4% vs 12.7%
Analgesia
- Oral paracetamol use increased, while opioid prescribing remained stable
Unadjusted intra-hospital mortality
- Unadjusted intra-hospital mortality declined significantly (p = 0.005)
- 7.7% vs 2.9%
Original publication
Impact of orthogeriatric care: prescription patterns in hospitalized older adults. Osteoporos Int. Published 28 September 2026. doi:10. 1007/ s00198-026-08244-7
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