Patient and hospital-level factors associated with time to surgery after hip fracture in Ireland: Analysis of national audit data 2016-2020.

Patients with more comorbidity experience longer surgical delay after hip fracture in Ireland, in line with international research. Low availability of senior orthopaedic surgeons in Ireland may be delaying hip fracture surgery. Pathway of presentation, including via inter-hospital transfer or hospital bypass, is an important factor that requires further exploration. Further research is required to identify successful system-level protocols and interventions that may expedite hip fracture surgery within this setting.