A new hip fracture unit in St. John's will improve care for patients in NL

Premier Andrew Furey says establishing the new 12-bed dedicated hip fracture unit at the hospital will ensure health care professionals will be able to provide best practices for patients recovering from hip surgery in one unit rather than multiple areas of the hospital.

A new hip fracture unit is being established at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital in St. John’s, which will improve the way patients receive care while recovering from hip repair surgery. Currently, patients with hip fractures can be admitted to any surgical floor in the hospital. Premier Andrew Furey says establishing the new 12-bed dedicated hip fracture unit at the hospital will ensure health care professionals will be able to provide best practices for patients recovering from hip surgery in one unit rather than multiple areas of the hospital. Health Minister John Hogan says hip fracture repairs are urgent, and surgeries can result in cancellation of other planned surgeries. Dedicating a unit for patients recovering from hip fracture surgeries will create capacity that will reduce length of stay.  NL Health Services anticipates approximately 530 hip fractures to occur in the province by the end of the year. This number is estimated to increase to 800 annually due to an increase in the average age of residents. The Surgical Backlog Task Force provided 32 recommendations to reduce the surgical backlog in the province in August 2023.