Enhanced Recovery Programs in Outpatient Surgery.

Overview

Although enhanced recovery pathways were initially implemented in inpatients, their principles are relevant in the ambulatory setting. Opioid minimization and addressing pain and nausea through multimodal analgesia, regional anesthesia, and robust preoperative education programs are integral to the success of ambulatory enhanced recovery programs. Rather than measurements of length of stay as in traditional inpatient programs, the focus of enhanced recovery programs in ambulatory surgery should be on improved quality of recovery, pain management, and early ambulation.