Treatment in a center for geriatric traumatology.

Results: Before the CGT was established, 20.7% of all patients over age 75 (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.8–27%) were treated in an intensive care unit; the corresponding figure after the establishment of the CGT was 13.4% (95% CI, 9.3–18.5%, p = 0.057). The mean length of stay in the intensive care unit before and after establishment of the CGT was 48 hours (95% CI, 32–64 hours) and 53 hours (95% CI, 29–77 hours), respectively (p = 0.973). The in-hospital mortality declined from 9.5% (95% CI, 5.3–13.8%) to 6.5% (95% CI, 3.7–9.5%, p = 0.278), while the overall length of hospital stay increased from 13.7 days (95% CI, 12.6–14.8 days) to 16.9 days (95% CI, 16.1–17.7 days, p<0.001). The percentage of patients transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation facility upon discharge decreased slightly, from 53.8% to 49.1%. Among the younger patients who were not treated in the CGT, no comparable trends were seen toward lower in-hospital mortality or toward less treatment in an intensive care unit. In fact, the developments over time in the younger age group tended to be in the opposite direction. Conclusion: The collaborative treatment of elderly patients with fractures by trauma surgeons and geriatric physicians can markedly improve their acute care. ►Cite this as: