A 12-month follow-up after hip fracture: Inpatient rehabilitation versus home rehabilitation

This study compared readmissions, survival, and mortality during a 12-month follow-up period of inpatient rehabilitation and home rehabilitation for older persons who had experienced a hip fracture.

This work was retrospective cohort research. Between January 1 and December 30, 2019, the medical records of 280 elderly patients who were admitted to a hospital with a hip fracture were analyzed. Of these patients, 74.3% received inpatient rehabilitation, whereas 25.7% received home rehabilitation.

In terms of readmissions and death, there were no appreciable differences between the inpatient rehabilitation and home rehabilitation groups. The patients in the inpatient rehabilitation group were older; more likely to need assistance with activities of daily living; and were taking, on average, more prescription drugs on a daily basis than those in the home rehabilitation group.

In conclusion, as better outcomes were expected for the home rehabilitation group, which on average included less complicated patients, the findings suggest that the home rehabilitation pathway may not be a good alternative to the inpatient rehabilitation pathway.

The work is published in the journal Rehabilitation Nursing.