Irish Hip Fracture Database National Report 2019: stay safe and active at home

This report has reinforced the positive benefit that the IHFD and clinical audit is making in the healthcare system on a local, public, national and system level. The improvement in the IHFS has again reassured the system that the standards being measured are meaningful and lead to improved patient outcomes, with more patients going directly home and having improved function at discharge, and fewer patients being newly admitted into long-term care.

The buy-in and enthusiasm of healthcare staff and hospital management towards the audit throughout 2019 by supporting the Foundation Programme for Quality Improvement has reinvigorated the audit and raised its priority within the healthcare system. The level of buy-in is also evident because of the use of the data by key groups, such as the HSE, National Office for Trauma Services, Business Intelligence Unit, and HSE for the hip fracture key performance indicator, and the Quality Improvement Team, HSE, as well as in some high-profile publications.

Chapter 8 highlights the great work that has led to many of the audit’s recommendations coming to fruition. Thanks to the clinical leadership of our hospital clinical leads, the multidisciplinary team, and the data collection and dedication of our audit coordinators, this audit is leading the way for many other national clinical audits. A special thanks also to Dr Philip Crowley and the HSE National QIT for all of their support and for working so closely with the IHFD to develop the first Foundation Quality Improvement programme for a clinical audit.

The next steps for the IHFD will include the implementation of a new IHFS for early mobilisation, delivering high-quality multidisciplinary research, and further improving on the great progress made throughout 2019.