Background and Aims Hip fracture is a common and serious injury, particularly in older adults, which can lead to significant morbidity, mortality, and decreased quality of life. Surgery is the standard treatment for hip fractures, and its timing is crucial for optimal outcomes. Studying the time from hip fracture to surgery can help identify best practices for timely surgery and improve patient outcomes.

Methods This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at our hospital review board (IRB#2012-050). From the Premier Healthcare database (Premier Healthcare Solutions, Inc., Charlotte, NC; 2006-2021) we identified patients who had a primary diagnosis of hip fracture and underwent surgical procedures. The primary exposure of interest was time from hip fracture diagnosis to surgery (categorized as 0-1 day, 2 days, and 3 days). Outcomes of interest included any major complications, length of stay, ICU admission (identified by billing code), and total opioid consumption during hospitalization.

Results We identified 65,111 patients who underwent surgical treatment within 3 days of hip fracture onsite, with 29.1 of patients receiving the surgery within 1 day, and 53.8% of patients receiving the surgery within 2 days. Prolonged wait time to have surgery increased the risk of having major complications, mortality, ICU admission, and longer hospitalization (table 1).

Conclusions Delayed surgery after hip fracture is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, increased length of hospital stay, and increased use of resources. It is recommended that healthcare providers prioritize timely surgical intervention for patients with hip fractures to optimize their chances of a successful recovery.