» Researchers recently evaluated three tools to help predict risk of hip fracture in adults aged 80 or more years, a population that accounts for 70% of hip fractures in the United States.
The three processes included the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX), the Garvan Fracture Risk Calculator and femoral neck bone mineral density (FNBMD). Study results confirmed that the simpler process, FNBMD, performed best. FRAX slightly underestimated hip fracture probability in intermediate-risk individuals, whereas Garvan significantly overestimated hip fracture probability in high-risk individuals.
This finding followed an analysis of almost 9,000 study participants and a comparison of performance data from the more complex fracture risk calculators, FRAX and Garvan, with the simpler FNBMD process.
» Electronic health records systems can provide information about residents that enables providers to be part of value-based care efforts, and if they are used to their potential, they can boost efficiencies and profitability. Their use in assisted living, however, greatly trails use in nursing homes, according to recently released data. From 2018 to 2022, the percentage of residential care communities using EHRs increased from 36% to 48%, according to an article in the May 2 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
» In a bid to promote easier access and exchange of patients’ health records, the Department of Health and Human Services recently published a final rule outlining penalties for providers that block access to electronic health information. Fragmented and inaccessible patient data can prevent long-term care and post-acute care providers from seeing the full picture of a patient’s health. Hospitals, for example, are not required to share updates about a patient’s health with a patient’s post-acute care provider.
» The New York State Office for the Aging will deliver 4,725 animatronic pets and games to older adults through the state’s aging network. The move is part of phase 6 of its animatronic pets initiative and phase 2 of its intergenerational game project collaboration with Ageless Innovation.
