ER WAIT
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19 minutes
ER WAIT
iThe Clark Memorial Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program (ERAS) is an innovative way to optimize your healing before, during and after surgery. The program involves preparing your body for surgery, a pain control plan to decrease narcotic use, and early walking, eating and drinking after surgery. ERAS helps you take control of your health care and recovery — creating a better surgical experience and a faster recovery.
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery programs have been shown to reduce post-surgical complications by 50% and decrease hospitalization time between 30 – 50%. Our ERAS program was developed with a patient-centered focus as it is meant to make surgery and recovery as short and uneventful as possible.
ERAS was established in Europe and is now practiced in the U.S. at leading medical centers including Duke University and Cleveland Clinic. In 2018, ERAS was named #8 on the Top 10 Medical Innovations by Cleveland Clinic.
Our physicians and surgical staff go to great lengths to help you understand everything related to your surgery, from the procedure to the preparations you’ll need to make and what to expect in the hours and days following your surgery. The program involves preparing your body for surgery, a pain control plan to decrease narcotic use, and early walking, eating and drinking after surgery.
Once you commit to the program, you will begin to focus on optimizing your health before surgery.
Good nutrition will help recovery. Your main focus is on protein intake before and after surgery as protein provides building blocks for muscles, bones, and the immune system.
Exercise 30 minutes a day in the weeks before surgery
Exercise will build stamina and endurance. You want to be as strong as possible going into surgery.
Drink three high carbohydrate drinks called Ensure Pre-Surgery. You drink two the day before surgery and one the morning of surgery. (This is a required step in the program.)
ERAS puts you in control of your healthcare and recovery. Your responsibilities are eating, drinking, getting out of bed, and using alternatives to narcotics for pain. Patients who commit to the program see a decrease in unwanted side effects that come with taking narcotics, such as drowsiness, dizziness, nausea and constipation. These interventions will allow you to have a better surgical experience and return to normal function faster.