Rehabilitation in a convalescent rehabilitation ward following an acute ward improves functional recovery and mortality for hip fracture patients: a sequence in a single hospital

[Purpose] The convalescent rehabilitation ward (CRW) plays an important role for hip fracture patients in Japanese super-aged society. The purpose of this study is to clarify the usefulness of the CRW concomitant with acute wards in a single hospital. [Subjects and Methods] 110 hip fracture patients were evaluated; 63 patients were moved from acute wards to the CRW in the same hospital (Group C) and 47 patients were treated in acute wards only (Group A). Patient selection was determined by each attending doctor. The outcomes were examined from medical records. [Results] 90.5% of patients in the group C were discharged to home and 57.4% in the group A. 92.9% of patients in the group C had regained their ambulatory ability at discharge and 88.9% in the group A. The average total functional independence measure scores at discharge were 96.4 in the group C and 85.0 in the group A. The one-year mortality was 2.4% in the group C and 8.3% in the group A. [Conclusion] Using a CRW concomitant with acute wards in a single hospital could achieve a high home-discharge rate, good functional recovery, and low mortality in hip fracture patients.