Switzer, Julie A., MD
Research Investigator

Positions

Research Investigator, Orthopedic trauma

HealthPartners Medical Group title: Director, Geriatric Trauma Program, Regions Hospital; orthopedic surgeon.

Education and training: MD, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California; residency in orthopaedic surgery, University of Washington; fellowship in Vail in sports medicine and trauma, Vail, Colorado.

Overview/research interests: Dr. Switzer’s clinical and research interests include trauma, geriatric orthopedics and diseases of bone metabolism.

Current research activities and funding:

Geriatric Fracture Program Quality Improvement and Assurance
Geriatric Mobile Outreach, an intervention in a prospective cohort of patients
Development of a Geriatric Fracture Registry
Asymptomatic shoulder function in elderly individuals
Elder abuse awareness and physician education
Morbidity and mortality of geriatric proximal humerus fracture
The role of palliative hip fracture surgery and family caregiver satisfaction

Publications

selected publications

Journal Article
- Low-energy pelvic ring fractures: a care conundrum. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2021
- Development of a questionnaire to assess patient priorities in Hip fracture care. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2020
- Geriatric fracture patients require special care during the pandemic. AAOS (American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons) Now. 2020
- Mobile outreach: an innovative program for older orthopedic patients in care facilities. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2019
- A prospective look at the link between frailty and shoulder function in asymptomatic elderly individuals. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2018
- Frequent 911 fall calls in older adults: opportunity for injury prevention strategies. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2018
- Ten years of EMS fall calls in a community: an opportunity for injury prevention strategies. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2018
- Geriatric fracture care: Future trajectories: a 2015 AOA Critical Issues Symposium. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American Volume). 2017
- Geriatric orthopaedics: a new paradigm for management of older patients 2017
- Management of acetabular fractures in the elderly. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2017
- Predictors of mortality in elder patients with proximal humeral fracture. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2017
- Rethinking orthopaedic decision-making for frail patients with hip fracture: Commentary on an article by Marilyn Heng, MD, FRCSC, et al.: "Abnormal mini-cog is associated with higher risk of complications and delirium in geriatric patients with fracture". Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American Volume). 2016
- Implant removal after internal fixation of a femoral neck fracture: effects on physical functioning. Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma. 2015
- The use of computed tomography attenuation to evaluate osteoporosis following acute fractures of the thoracic and lumbar vertebra. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2014
- (Sample) size matters! An examination of sample size from the SPRINT trial study to prospectively evaluate reamed intramedullary nails in patients with tibial fractures. Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma. 2013
- Surgical time of day does not affect outcome following hip fracture fixation. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2013
- Management of high-energy acetabular fractures in the elderly individuals: a current review. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2012
- Use of a fibular strut allograft in an osteoporotic distal humerus fracture: a case report. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2012
- An opportunity for improving osteoporosis treatment in home health care. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2010
- Overcoming barriers to osteoporosis care in vulnerable elderly patients with hip fractures. Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma. 2009
- The history of the halo skeletal fixator. Spine. 2009
Chapter
- Polytrauma in the elderly. Musculoskeletal trauma in the elderly. 2016
Conference Poster
Review
- Assessing bone mineral density following acute hip fractures: the role of computed tomography attenuation [review]. Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation. 2015
- Elder abuse: an update on prevalence, identification, and reporting for the orthopaedic surgeon [review]. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2012
- High-energy skeletal trauma in the elderly [review]. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American Volume). 2012

presentations