• Prehabilitation is the process of preparing patients for surgery through targeted physical activity, psychological well-being, and nutritional guidance.

When prehabilitation is integrated into existing surgical care plans...
• Patient outcomes may improve, including functional capacity, decreased length of stay, and bolstered post-op recovery rate.
• Medical providers may generate cost savings by minimizing both additional medical interventions and reducing resource utilization.
• Patient experience may improve with individualized, high-quality care.


In today’s healthcare landscape, the need for cost-saving measures is more critical than ever.
With understaffed facilities and overfilled hospital beds, healthcare providers need innovative strategies to enhance patient outcomes while minimizing expenses. This need is even more significant in the geriatric population, whose age significantly impairs their response to medical treatment. One strategy gaining recognition is prehabilitation, a proactive approach that optimizes patients’ health before surgery or medical interventions.

The Role of Prehabilitation in Surgical Outcomes
Prehabilitation programs can play a vital role in improving surgical outcomes by addressing patients’ overall health and well-being before surgery. These multimodal programs focus on enhancing patients’ physical fitness, emphasizing proper nutrition, and providing psychological support to prepare patients’ bodies for surgery.

To quantify the benefits of prehabilitation, we can look to postoperative functional capacity. Functional capacity is defined as the ability to perform and cope with real-world, daily activities which stem from a unified effort from the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and skeletal muscular systems.¹ It also encompasses an interdependent relationship with mental well-being.^2,3 In three randomized controlled tests (RCTs), 130 out of 250 participants with non‐metastatic colorectal cancer underwent a four-week prehabilitation program. This prehabilitation group demonstrated improvement in the 6-minute walk test, suggesting improvement in functional capacity.⁴ In addition, multimodal prehabilitation programs with exercise point to positive outcomes. One study performed a meta-analysis of 8 RCTs (randomized controlled trials) among 422 major abdominal surgical patients, and results showed a significant reduction in postoperative pulmonary complications as well as in postoperative overall morbidity in the prehabilitation group compared to standard care.⁵

Furthermore, prehabilitation programs have been associated with reduced surgical site infections, lower rates of readmission⁶, and enhanced postoperative recovery.⁷ In a study conducted in Montreal, patients who received multimodal prehabilitation before colorectal cancer resection surgery had an 80% recovery rate by 8 weeks after surgery, compared to a historical control group who had only received postoperative rehabilitation, which had a 40% recovery rate.⁶

Though there’s still room for further research, current studies⁸ advocate that multimodal prehabilitation helps prepare patients both physically and mentally for surgery, improving quality of life post-operation.

Cost savings with surgical prehabilitation
Extended hospital stays impose a significant financial burden on patients, healthcare providers, and the overall healthcare system. By implementing prehabilitation programs, hospitals can prepare patients for faster recovery and discharge, reducing the length of hospital stays and associated costs.

Studies examining the impact of prehabilitation on hospital stays have shown positive results.⁹ Patients who participate in prehabilitation programs can experience shorter hospital stays, leading to substantial cost savings. In a retrospective review of 1,043 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty, prehabilitation patients had shorter hospital stays (37.1% leaving inpatient care on postoperative day 1) and improved discharge disposition.¹⁰ In terms of savings, a study which looked at patients who underwent major abdominal surgery calculated that there was an average of $21,946 saved per patient.⁸

The reduced postoperative complications₁₁ and shorter hospital stays resulting from prehabilitation translate into significant cost savings for healthcare providers. Fewer complications mean reduced medical interventions, decreased medication costs, and lower readmission rates. Additionally, shorter hospital stays reduce resource utilization, including bed occupancy, staffing requirements, and associated overhead costs.

Continuity of care in an overburdened system
The foundation of healthcare has always been continuity of care for patients. This practice has resulted in better healthcare outcomes, higher satisfaction rates, and cost-effective healthcare. 12 However, current healthcare systems are strained with case overload, making it increasingly challenging to provide the level of care patients deserve.

Prehabilitation programs offer a promising solution to the challenges faced by current healthcare systems. By incorporating individualized care plans tailored to each patient’s needs, prehabilitation assists healthcare providers in delivering a level of attention that patients deserve, alleviating the burden on medical staff. This proactive approach also helps identify potential health risks and prepares patients physically and mentally before undergoing medical interventions or procedures.

Furthermore, prehabilitation programs have been shown to increase patient satisfaction significantly. Prehabilitation fosters a sense of ownership and engagement by actively involving patients in their care journey and empowering them to take charge of their health. Patients appreciate the personalized attention and support provided by healthcare professionals during prehabilitation, which enhances their overall healthcare experience.

At Ooney, we focus on addressing the unique needs of elderly surgical patients whose age directly impacts health care delivery and perianesthesia nursing. Due to this, we believe it is essential to focus on the preparation of the elderly patient in aspects of preoperative assessment and instruction, nutrition, pain management, and promotion of sleep and comfort.¹³ Through Ooney’s tailored user interface and care programs, geriatric patients can receive continued care in the days leading up to their surgery and be more appropriately prepared for their surgery, promoting positive outcomes.

Prehabilitation serves as a multifaceted solution
Overall, patients’ quality of life and satisfaction can improve with the integration of prehabilitation into existing care programs. Prehabilitation can be a powerful strategy to generate substantial cost savings with minimal upfront costs. At Ooney, we have optimized the content and user experience for older adults so both patients and healthcare providers can enjoy the benefits of effective prehabilitation.

Healthcare leaders have an opportunity to recognize the potential of prehabilitation and invest in its implementation. The American College of Surgeons even concluded in a study that a prehabilitation program “should be considered for all patients undergoing surgery” ¹², emphasizing its importance for improving patient outcomes and generating significant cost savings. By embracing prehabilitation, we can strengthen our healthcare system, enhance patient care, and achieve a brighter future.