Enhanced interdisciplinary care improves self-care ability and decreases emergency department visits for older Taiwanese patients over 2 years after hip-fracture surgery: A randomised controlled trial

BackgroundLittle evidence is available on the longer-term effects (beyond 12 months) of intervention models consisting of hip fracture-specific care in conjunction with management of malnutrition, depression, and falls.ObjectiveTo compare the relative effects of an interdisciplinary care, and a comprehensive care programme with those of usual care for elderly patients with a hip fracture on self-care ability, health care use, and mortality.DesignRandomised experimental trial.SettingA 3000-bed medical centre in northern Taiwan.ParticipantsPatients with hip fracture aged 60 years or older (N = 299).MethodPatients were randomly assigned to three groups: comprehensive care (n = 99), interdisciplinary care (n = 101), and usual care (control) (n = 99). Usual care entailed only one or two in-hospital rehabilitation sessions. Interdisciplinary care included not only hospital rehabilitation, but also geriatric consultation, discharge planning, and 4-month in-home rehabilitation. Building upon interdisciplinary care, comprehensive care extended in-home rehabilitation to 12 months and added management of malnutrition and depressive symptoms, and fall prevention. Patients’ self-care ability was measured by activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living using the Chinese Barthel Index and Chinese version Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale, respectively. Outcomes were assessed before discharge, and 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 months following hip fracture. Hierarchical linear models were used to analyse health outcomes and health care utilisation, including emergency department visit and hospital re-admission.ResultsThe comprehensive care group had better performance trajectories for both measures of activities of daily living and fewer emergency department visits than the usual care group, but no difference in hospital readmissions. The interdisciplinary care and usual care groups did not differ in trajectories of self-care ability and service utilisation. The three groups did not differ in mortality during the 2-year follow-up.ConclusionComprehensive care, with enhanced rehabilitation, management of malnutrition and depressive symptoms, and fall prevention, improved self-care ability and decreased emergency department visits for elders up to 2 years after hip-fracture surgery, above and beyond the effects of usual care and interdisciplinary care.