Different approach to surgical prep can cut costs, improve outcomes

Giving patients more nutrients before surgery and less painkillers after can considerably cut down their recovery times, the Wall Street Journal reported. These "enchanced recovery" protocols, which were originally developed in European hospitals, can save as much as $10,000 per patient and cut the rate of complications by nearly half. Research has indicated that withholding nutrients to patients in the hours before surgery and deluging them with liquids after can raise stress levels that can impede the recovery process. Read the full article at FierceHealthcare