Fast Track to Surgery for Hip Fracture at Hackensack University Medical Center

Center Adopts National Gold Standard of Optimizing Patients with Hip Fractures for Surgery Within 24 Hours

At Hackensack University Medical Center, patients with a hip fracture are fast tracked to surgery and optimized for the OR within 24 hours by a multidisciplinary, patient-centric Hip Fracture Program team.

In applying this national gold standard of care fast-track protocol, the team strives to provide the best in patient safety and quality of care. The Hip Fracture Program is designed to expedite preoperative optimization, provide early surgical intervention, minimize complications and ensure a timely and safe discharge disposition. The program incorporates evidence-based practices in accordance with Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons guidelines.

To ensure patient communication during this fast-tracked preoperative period, patients and their families are provided with a hip fracture handbook upon admission, which guides them through their hospital experience, explains what a hip fracture is, how is a fracture is surgically addressed, post-operative therapy, prevention of delirium and future falls and osteoporosis management.

The Hip Fracture Program at Hackensack University Medical Center began in 2015 with a patient-centered philosophy. A Steering Committee was assembled to include leadership from all touchpoints along a patient's continuum of care from arrival in the ETC through discharge. We have physicians, Advanced Practice Providers, RNs, Directors and Management, Physical Medicine & Rehab, Educators, Case Management and other team members who are all active and regular participants in this committee. The center was the first in New Jersey to receive the Hip Fracture Disease Specific Certification from The Joint Commission, awarded in October 2016, and was recertified in October 2018 and May 2021.

The program’s successful models of care for hip fracture patients were presented to National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses members. Hackensack University Medical Center plans to expand the program to a fragility fracture program, including hip fractures as well as distal radius fractures, proximal humerus fractures and vertebral compression fractures.

Learn more about innovative geriatric care at Hackensack University Medical Center.