Unique challenges posed by caring for patients of geriatric age, require concurrent management of chronic comorbidities and strategies to avoid or minimize complications related to the injury and/or hospitalization. Two or more rib fractures in older adults is associated higher morbidity and mortality compared to a younger age group. The management of rib fractures is predominantly non-surgical, managed with pain control and respiratory rehabilitation. Triaging protocols, available to healthcare providers in outpatient clinics, urgent care centers, and emergency departments, to identify the most vulnerable patients with rib fractures in a timely fashion likely help expedite the level of care they need. A comprehensive treatment team includes not only the primary trauma team (consisting of emergency physicians/trauma surgeons, trauma nurses, and mid-level practitioners) but also incorporates a multidisciplinary team with the early involvement of a geriatrician, physical therapist, anesthesiologist, social worker, and respiratory therapist when required to improve ventilation, breathing and patient comfort.

Iva Neupane, is assistant professor in medicine at Brown University, Rhode Island, USA. After completing her residency in internal medicine and a year of chief residency in Worcester, Massachusetts, she joined Brown University for geriatric medicine fellowship. As geriatrician, she joined the same program as a faculty. She leads geriatric trauma co-management program at Rhode Island Hospital and is the associate program director of geriatric medicine fellowship program at Brown University.