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document
Clinical pathway for fractured neck of femur : a prospective , controlled study . OBJECTIVE To assess outcomes of using a clinical pathway for managing patients with fractured neck of femur . DESIGN Prospective , pseudorandomised , controlled trial . SETTING St Vincent 's Hospital , Melbourne , Victoria ( a tertiary referral , university teaching hospital ) , 1 October 1997 to 30 November 1998 . PARTICIPANTS 111 patients ( 80 women and 31 men ; mean age , 81 years ) admitted via the emergency department with a primary diagnosis of fractured neck of femur . INTERVENTIONS Management guided by a clinical pathway ( 55 patients ) or established standard of care ( control group , 56 patients ) . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Timing of referrals and discharge planning ; total length of stay ; and complication and readmission rates within 28 days of discharge . RESULTS Patients managed according to the clinical pathway had a shorter total stay ( 6.6 versus 8.0 days ; P = 0.03 ) , even if assessment for placement by the Aged Care Assessment Service was required ( 9.5 versus 13.6 days ; P = 0.03 ) . There were no significant differences in complication and readmission rates between pathway and control patients ( complication rates , 24 % versus 36 % ; P = 0.40 ; readmission rates , 4 % versus 11 % ; P = 0.28 ) . CONCLUSION Coordinated multidisciplinary care of patients with fractured neck of femur reduces length of stay without increasing complications .
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Intervention_Other
Management guided by a clinical pathway ( 55 patients ) or established standard of care
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Outcome_Other
Timing of referrals and discharge planning ; total length of stay
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Outcome_Adverse-effects
complication
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Outcome_Other
readmission rates within 28 days of discharge
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Participant_Condition
fractured neck of femur :
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Participant_Condition
fractured neck of femur
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Participant_Sample-size
111 patients
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Participant_Sample-size
80
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Participant_Sample-size
31