The successful implementation of the ERAS program among Caesarean deliveries to reduce the postoperative length of hospital stay 

Abstract

Background: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a multidisciplinary perioperative care program to optimize and enhance postoperative recovery. It has a beneficial role in decreasing the length of hospital stay and improving the quality of care. This study aims to observe the successful implementation of ERAS in reducing the length of hospital stay (LOS) among Caesarean deliveries. Methods: A pre-and post-implementation study of ERAS protocol was conducted, among cohort of women who underwent Caesarean deliveries from January to December 2020 in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mongar Regional Referral hospital. Data collected retrospectively and analyzed in SPSS (IBM SPSS trial version); and comparison of length of hospital stay between the two groups were tested by t-test. Results: 171 patients were included in the study: 87 in the pre-ERAS and 84 in the post-ERAS cohort. Post implementation, LOS decreased by an average of 21.0 (CI 16.11-24.64; p-value <0.001) hours in the postoperative period. A greater proportion of patients were discharged on day-2 (2.3% in pre-ERAS and 81% in ERAS; p-value <0.001). Conclusion: Implementation of ERAS protocol can significantly decrease the postoperative length of hospital stay without increasing the complications and readmission rates.