An innovative world-first Hip Fracture Registry Toolbox has been launched to address the alarming death and disability caused by the more than 1 million hip fractures sustained in the Asia Pacific each year.

Developed by Malaysia headquartered Asia Pacific Fragility Fracture Alliance (APFFA) in collaboration with the Fragility Fracture Network (FFN), the practical and informative resource explains the fundamental need, and how to best advocate for, the establishment of a national hip fracture registry.

Tailored to clinicians, hospital administrators, healthcare systems and governments alike, the Toolbox covers pertinent topics, including stakeholder engagement and consolidation, building a case for change, planning and funding a registry, to setting up a pilot registry, and navigating governance and ethics approval. Examples of current registries and other useful resources also feature in the Toolbox.

Concerningly, one-in-four patients who sustain a hip fracture die within a year, and less than half of those who survive, regain their previous level of function. The expected direct incurred cost associated with the more than 1.1 million hip fractures estimated to have occurred in nine countries and regions in APAC, including China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand in 2018, amounts to USD 7.5 billion. This cost is projected to increase to almost USD 13 billion by 2050.

Widescale implementation of hip fracture registries worldwide can facilitate vast improvements in care for the millions of people who sustain a hip fracture each year. Widescale implementation of hip fracture registries worldwide can facilitate vast improvements in care for the millions of people who sustain a hip fracture each year. 

As of April 2021, 18 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America had established a hip fracture registry, at different stages of maturation, participation and development. Notably, only three registries are currently operating in the Asia Pacific.  

“Hospitals can utilise hip fracture registries to benchmark their provision of care against best practice clinical standards for acute care, rehabilitation, and secondary fracture prevention. Furthermore, hip fracture registries can transform patient-level data into information that both equips and empowers hospital teams to identify,” said APFFA Hip Fracture Registry Working Group Co-Chair, Professor Jacqui Close, Australia. 

“The Hip Fracture Registry Toolbox explains how timely, reliable and constructive feedback to clinical teams, coupled with the engagement and participation of key stakeholders, improves the impact of hip fracture registries,” said APFFA Hip Fracture Registry Working Group Co-Chair, Dr Hannah Seymour, Australia.