The Geriatric Fracture Center of St. Francis Hospital

The Geriatric Fracture Center of Bon Secours St. Francis Health System is leading the nation in geriatric hip fracture care and rehabilitation. Located in Greenville, SC, this facility is the only one of its kind in the state. The Geriatric Fracture program focuses on patient treatment and rehabilitation in a more effective way. Just a few short years ago, when an elderly person suffered a hip fracture, the patient was admitted to the emergency room, often times waiting 60 or more hours for surgery. Hip fracture operations were considered “low priority”, and therefore patients were not given proper care and attention in a timely manner. St. Francis realized it was not enough to only focus on the fracture. By treating the patient sooner, and more efficiently, geriatric fracture patients could heal faster and return to their daily lives much sooner. In this video, Bill Munley, Vice President of Orthopaedics and Professional Services at St. Francis, and Medical Director, Dr. Michael O’Boyle, explain how the program is benefitting patients and their families. The Geriatric Fracture Program is a team effort, where each patient is managed and cared for by an interdisciplinary team including specialists, therapists, surgeons and anesthesiologists, among others. The team follows a plan designed specifically for each patient’s surgery and rehabilitation. Stacie Cox, RN and Patient Services Administrator with the program, serves as the liaison between the patient and team. Having one person make sure all aspects of the patient’s best interests are at heart is crucial to the success of the program and the success of the Geriatric Fracture Center is evident. Since the program began in January 2007, statistics have consistently shown a dramatic increase in the rehabilitation of hip fracture patients across the board. Patients are getting through the emergency room faster, getting through the hip surgery quicker, and are spending less time in the hospital, altogether. In fact, the average time a patient waits for hip surgery at St. Francis is less than 24 hours—the national average is 48-72 hours. Since 2005, patients in the program who are able to return to independent living after hip replacement have increased from 20% to 80%, and mortality rates in geriatric patients after hip fracture surgery have decreased by half. One of the best rehabilitation facilities in the United States, the Geriatric Fracture Center at Bon Secours St. Francis Health System is changing the lives of patients needing hip fracture repair. If you would like more information please call 864.303.4928 or visit www.stfrancishealth.org/geriatric_fracture.php