NSW Health WSLHD Safety & Quality Account 2020-21

Our Hospitals

Improving Outcomes Via Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Protocol, Surgery and Anaesthetics, Westmead Hospital The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol uses best practice evidence, patient outcome data at the pre-, intra- and post-operative stages, as well as collaborative planning with patients to improve post-operative outcomes of patients following elective colorectal surgery. It brings together collaborative partnerships between the colorectal department, peri-operative team, high risk anaesthetic assessment team, pain team, pharmacy, National Surgical Quality Improvement Project team, the Westmead Research Centre for Evaluation of Surgical Outcomes and Cancer Institute NSW.

Implementation of the ERAS protocol demonstrated: • decreased hospital length of stay (LOS) by at least 25% for patients that had no complications • up to 60% decreased LOS for patients with complications Of the ERAS interventions, laparoscopic surgery, early mobilization, early discontinuation of IV fluids, upgrading to solid diet, removal of indwelling catheter (IDC), nasogastric tube (NGT) placement as well as early importance of collaborative partnerships that improve the multidisciplinary approach and engage the patient in their surgical journey by providing a standardised approach according to the surgical risk group and speciality. It demonstrates how we can provide gold standard evidence-based care, decrease morbidity, mortality and economic burden. drain removal was important to reduce LOS. This project is scalable by demonstrating the

Above: Doctors Hedra Eskender and Dr Bu Bulalla in the operating theatre at Auburn Hospital

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