Complete guide to Australian hospital orthopaedic services — joint replacement surgery, trauma management, ERAS pathways, Mako robotic surgery, AOANJRR registry, NHFD, and orthopaedic software.
Australia performs 130,000+ joint replacements per year. AOANJRR tracks all joint replacements. NHFD tracks hip fracture care. Mako robotic surgery is growing. This guide covers Australian orthopaedic services.
ERAS Pathway for Joint Replacement
- Pre-op (2-4 weeks): Patient education, smoking cessation, anaemia correction, nutrition
- Pre-op (day before): Carbohydrate drink, chlorhexidine shower, no prolonged fasting
- Day of surgery: Regional anaesthesia, minimally invasive technique, local infiltration analgesia
- Post-op (day 0): Early mobilisation within 4 hours, multimodal analgesia, no opioids if possible
- Post-op (day 1): Full mobilisation, stairs, physiotherapy, normal diet
- Post-op (day 2-3): Discharge when mobilising independently, pain controlled
- Follow-up: 2-week wound check, 6-week review, 3-month PROMs, 1-year AOANJRR report
Orthopaedic KPIs
| KPI | Target | Australian Average |
|---|---|---|
| LOS (knee replacement) | 2-3 days | 3-5 days |
| LOS (hip replacement) | 2-3 days | 3-5 days |
| SSI rate (elective) | < 1% | 1-2% |
| Readmission rate (30 day) | < 5% | 5-7% |
| PROMs collection | > 80% | 60-70% |
| AOANJRR reporting | 100% | 95-100% |
| Mortality (30 day) | < 0.5% | 0.5-1% |
| Revision rate (5 year) | < 5% | 3-5% |
Hip Fracture Care (NHFD)
| Standard | Target | Australian Average |
|---|---|---|
| Surgery within 24 hours | > 80% | 65-75% |
| Orthogeriatric assessment | > 90% | 70-80% |
| Mobilisation day 1 | > 80% | 60-70% |
| Bone health assessment | > 90% | 70-80% |
| Mortality (30 day) | < 8% | 8-10% |
| LOS | < 7 days | 7-10 days |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many joint replacements are performed in Australia?
- Australia performs 130,000+ joint replacements per year: knee replacement (75,000), hip replacement (55,000), shoulder replacement (5,000). Volume growing 5% annually. Australia has one of the highest joint replacement rates globally. The Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR) tracks all joint replacements.
- What is AOANJRR?
- AOANJRR (Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry) is the national registry for all joint replacements in Australia. Every joint replacement must be reported. AOANJRR tracks: 1) Patient demographics, 2. Implant details, 3. Surgical details, 4. Outcomes (revision, infection, mortality), 5. Implant performance. AOANJRR is one of the world's best joint replacement registries.
- What is NHFD?
- NHFD (National Hip Fracture Database) is the Australian registry for hip fracture care. NHFD tracks: 1) Time to surgery, 2. Orthogeriatric care, 3. Mobilisation, 4. Mortality, 5. Length of stay. NHFD standards: surgery within 24 hours, orthogeriatric assessment, early mobilisation, bone health assessment. All Australian hospitals treating hip fractures should participate in NHFD.