Journal for healthcare quality : official publication of the National Association for Healthcare Quality
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Older Veterans are increasingly undergoing surgery and are at particularly high risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Prehabilitation has emerged as a method to improve postoperative outcomes by enhancing the patient's preoperative condition. We present data from our prehabilitation pilot project and plans for expansion and dissemination of a nationwide quality improvement effort. ⋯ Postoperative outcomes including complications, 30-day mortality, and 30-day readmissions were better than predicted by the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Surgical Risk Calculator. We have obtained institutional support for implementing similar prehabilitation programs at VA hospitals nationally through our designation as a VA Patient Safety Center for Inquiry. This is the first multi-institutional prehabilitation program for frail, older Veterans and represents an essential step toward optimizing surgical care for this vulnerable population.