Falling over and breaking any bone, let alone your hip, is not something any of us wants to think about, but it is all too often the reality for older people, with serious consequences.
One in 20 older hip fracture patients will die before they leave the hospital; one in 10 aren’t able to go home and instead transfer to an aged care facility, and more than half are still unable to walk after 12 months.
Co-Chairs of the ANZ Hip Fracture Registry, Professors Jacqueline Close and Ian Harris AM are working to change this. By collecting and analysing more than 12,000 records from patients in Australia and New Zealand they are helping develop strategies to prevent hip fractures and to improve the recovery of patients when they do happen. And it is making a difference, changing the treatment patients receive.
The importance of this work is being recognised tonight at Research Australia’s annual Health and Medical Research Awards with the Health Services Research Award. This Award recognises the important contribution that the field of health services research makes to improving the safety, quality and effectiveness of healthcare.
‘The cost of treating hip fractures in Australia is estimated to be more than $900 million per year. The ANZ Hip Fracture Registry is a great example of how strengthening links between researchers and the health system deliver better healthcare,’ said Research Australia CEO, Nada Levin.
‘We were pleased to be nominated for this Award and even more delighted to have won,’ said Professor Close, who accepted the Award on behalf of the ANZ Hip Fracture Registry.
‘The Award recognises the hard work of a team of so many people; Ian and myself, as co-chairs of the Registry Steering Group are honoured to accept this award on their behalf. More than 22,000 Australians and almost 4,000 New Zealanders break their hip every year, and working to prevent this happening and to improve recoveries is very rewarding,’ said Prof Close.
Media Contacts:
Wendy McWilliam, Research Australia – 0413 598 857
Jacqueline Close, Neuroscience Research Australia, 0404 451 523
