Background: An orthopaedic management/patient-focused care unit (OMPFCU) involving a dedicated orthopaedic-geriatrics liaison team was established at the Royal Brisbane Hospital in 1994 in an effort to safely accelerate rehabilitation of patients with proximal femoral fractures.
Methods: The surgical outcomes of the patients were monitored in order to determine whether accelerated rehabilitation had any significant adverse effects on the surgical outcomes, measured by mortality, readmission to hospital, deep wound infection, fracture union delay, mobility and the revision surgery rate.
Results: No significant difference was recorded in mortality and morbidity, deep wound infection and revision surgery rates between patients in the Royal Brisbane Hospital OMPFCU and those in standard care in the orthopaedic surgery wards.
Conclusion: Accelerated rehabilitation for patients with a proximal femoral fracture in a major teaching hospital can be accomplished safely.