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(1) Introduction: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols can create a cultural shift that will benefit patients by significantly reducing patient length of stay when compared to an equivalent group of surgical patients not following an ERAS protocol. (2) Methods: In this retrospective study of 2236 patients in a multi-center, community-based healthcare system, matching was performed based on a multitude of variables related to demographics, comorbidities, and surgical outcomes across seven ERAS protocols. These cohorts were then compared pre and post ERAS protocol implementation. (3) Results: ERAS protocols significantly reduced hospital length of stay from 3.0 days to 2.1 days (p <0.0001). Additional significant outcomes included reductions in opioid consumption from 40 morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) to 20 MMEs (p <0.001) and decreased pain scores on postoperative day zero (POD 0), postoperative day one (POD 1), and postoperative day two (POD 2) when stratified into mild, moderate, and severe pain (p <0.001 on all three days). (4) Conclusions: ERAS protocols aggregately reduce hospital length of stay, pain scores, and opioid consumption.
Blumenthal et al. (Mon,) studied this question.