Hospital admissions for fractures of the proximal femur in Finland increased 50% between 1968 and 1976. Established differences and results of treatment in regional and district hospitals are reviewed. From the mortality incidence and the length of hospitalization, the results were better in regional than in district hospitals, and better for surgically than for conservatively treated patients. Of the different operative methods, the best primary results were obtained with endoprosthetic replacement and osteosynthesis with a fixed-angle nail plate.