RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A Virginia hospital has been able to reduce opioid use and send patients home for the hospital earlier under a series of new surgery protocols.
The Enhanced Recovery Program at Bon Secours Richmond Health System’s St. Mary’s Hospital has reduced reliance on post-operative opioids by 80 percent since it was established last year for patients undergoing colorectal surgery.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/2xZXinX ) that the protocols include allowing patients to have clear liquids up to two hours before surgery, providing a nutritional supplement a couple days before surgery and relying on non-opioid painkillers like Tylenol.
People were interested in these podcasts
The program is also reducing time spent in the hospital by two days.
Bon Secours is considering expanded use of the protocols.
___
Information from: Richmond Times-Dispatch, http://www.richmond.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.