Long A&E waits for hip breaks can increase odds of death, a recent study reveals. Patients facing extended waits in A&E after fracturing a hip are at a higher risk of mortality, as indicated by the study findings. The research further suggests that patients waiting for more than four hours are also likely to have a prolonged hospital stay.
The study, conducted in a trauma centre in Lothian, Scotland, analysed data of hip fracture patients aged 50 and over between January 2019 and June 2022. Among the 3,266 patients studied, with an average age of 81 years and a majority being female, over a third spent more than four hours in A&E.
Following these patients for more than 500 days, researchers noted that 1,314 patients had passed away. The study found that patients who waited over four hours in the emergency room had a significantly lower chance of surviving three months after hospital admission compared to those with shorter A&E wait times.
Specifically, patients who waited over four hours faced a 36% increased risk of mortality within 90 days post-hip break compared to those with shorter A&E stays. This increased risk translates to approximately one additional death for every 36 patients who exceeded the four-hour mark in the emergency department.
Furthermore, longer A&E waits were linked to an additional day spent in hospital on average for patients with hip fractures. With the prevalence of hip fractures expected to rise, the authors of the study highlighted the importance of timely care for this vulnerable patient group.
In response to these findings, the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh has introduced a new “fast track” service to ensure that the majority of hip fracture patients wait no more than two hours in the emergency room. Dr Nicholas Clement, the lead author of the study, emphasised the significance of minimising A&E wait times for improved patient outcomes.
The NHS standard of a four-hour A&E wait time was established in 2004 to gauge the performance of the healthcare system. The study underscored the importance of timely care for older patients needing operations, highlighting the need for adequate resources to support efficient and effective healthcare delivery.
While recognising the financial constraints on NHS budgets, advocates stress the essential need for older individuals to receive timely operations without resorting to private care. Efforts to address long A&E waits and improve patient flow are ongoing priorities for healthcare systems aiming to enhance overall care quality and patient outcomes.