Summary: | Seven hundred and sixty-three elderly patients with hip fractures were recruited in the study. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was used to measure their functional status on admission and upon discharge, and their difference was defined as functional change. An Efficiency Pattern Analysis Matrix was formed with Efficiency Pattern Analysis (EPA) and was used for in-depth matrix characteristics analysis. A validation study was also conducted with another group of patients (n=455) so that the stability of EPA across time was affirmed. We found that 23.3% of patients are in “higher efficiency” group [higher motor-FIM gains with shorter length of stay (LOS)], 8.5% in “higher gain and longer stay” group (higher motor-FIM gains with longer LOS), 32.5% in “average efficiency” group, 12% in “lower gain and shorter stay” (lower motor-FIM gain and shorter LOS), and 23.7% of patients in “lower efficiency” group (intermediate motor-FIM gains with longer LOS). The demographic and functional characteristics among these groups would be also analysed.
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