The Latest from ActiveProtective
WHITE PAPER
V-HIP (Veterans Hip Injury Prevention): A Strategy to Prevent 10,000 Fractured Hips a Year
By Secretary David J. Shulkin, MD, and Rebecca J. Tarbert, PT, DPT, GCS
August 12, 2026
In a new white paper, former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs David J. Shulkin, MD, and Rebecca J. Tarbert, PT, DPT, GCS, examine why hip fracture rates among male Veterans have continued to climb despite decades of investment in fall-prevention infrastructure and outline an evidence-based strategy for closing the gap between preventing falls and preventing the injuries that occur when a fall can’t be prevented.
Drawing on peer-reviewed research and VHA cost data, the paper introduces the V-HIP Program: a layered strategy designed to complement the VA’s existing fall prevention infrastructure with injury mitigation protection at the moment of impact.
Healthcare professionals will find a breakdown of Veteran-specific risk factors, an illustrative cost-avoidance model projecting up to $618 million in potential annual savings for VHA, and concrete recommendations for a phased, VISN-by-VISN rollout.
Download this free white paper to explore the data and evidence shaping the next layer of fall injury protection for those who served.
FREE LIVE WEBINAR
V-HIP (Veterans Hip Injury Prevention): A Strategy to Prevent 10,000 Fractured Hips a Year
September 23 | 12:00-1:00 pm ET
Hip fractures remain one of the most devastating and costly injuries facing older Veterans, with mortality rates as high as 32%, and 50% of survivors unable to regain independent mobility. Despite decades of investment in fall prevention, incidence among male Veterans continues to rise. Join Dr. David Shulkin, Ninth U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs as he presents the V-HIP framework: a layered strategy complementing the VHA’s existing fall-prevention infrastructure with injury mitigation technology at the moment of impact.
This free session will cover the issue of fall injuries among Veterans, the clinical and economic case for action, and a phased implementation roadmap including how VA leadership, clinical champions, and Veterans Service Organizations can help to bring this injury mitigation model to VISNs nationwide.
PRESS RELEASE
New White Paper Outlines Strategy to Prevent 10,000 Veteran Hip Fractures a Year
August 13, 2026 | Conshohocken, PA
ActiveProtective today announced the publication of a new white paper, V-HIP (Veterans Hip Injury Prevention): A Strategy to Prevent 10,000 Fractured Hips a Year, by David J. Shulkin, MD, Ninth U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Rebecca J. Tarbert, PT, DPT, GCS, CLT. The paper calls on the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to add a final layer of protection for Veterans already known to be at high risk for hip fractures, extending care from fall prevention to the moment of impact.
Hip fractures are among the most serious injuries the VHA treats. One-year mortality following a hip fracture can reach 32% among male Veterans. Roughly 50% of survivors never regain independent ambulation, and one in four require long-term care placement. The VHA spends an estimated $43 million a year on excess hip fracture costs alone, a figure that does not include the downstream burden of rehabilitation, long-term care, and caregiver support.