We’ve heard and written a lot about so-called Enhanced Recovery Programs (ERP). Adoption of an ERP takes the form of a set of predefined practices designed to standardize some aspects of surgical care. The aim is to help patients recover more quickly and heal faster after surgery.
Here’s a worked example from Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital, Richmond, Virginia. The program has already enrolled more than 100 elective open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery cases since its inception in August 2016.
The program
Candidates for elective colorectal surgery receive preoperative education including the plan for managing postoperative pain and diet.
Patients receive dietary supplements to boost protein and aid healing. And instead of traditional fasting prior to surgery, the program allows ERP patients to drink clear liquids up to two hours prior to surgery and drink a carbohydrate drink as well. Other main tenets of the ERP program include a standardized pain management plan and standardized discharge instructions post-surgery.
Another stipulation is that all surgical patients undergo perioperative haemodynamic monitoring using the ODM+ platform. This measure was introduced based on evidence that fluid management yielded fewer complications and contributed to earlier patient discharge.
