BMJ open
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Failure to account for medically necessary delays may lead to an underestimation of early surgery benefits. This study investigated the feasibility of using administrative data to identify the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 124 guideline list of conditions that appropriately delay hip fracture surgery. ⋯ Administrative data can be considered to identify conditions that appropriately delay hip fracture surgery. Accounting for medically necessary delays can improve estimates of the effectiveness of early surgery.