Home-Based Preoperative Prehabilitation Reduces Costs of Care

Medicare claims data were reviewed for patients in Michigan who underwent inpatient surgery. Some patients were enrolled in prehabilitation programs consisting of home-based walking exercise, nutrition, smoking cessation, and stress reduction. Patients undergoing prehabilitation were compared to similar patients undergoing surgery at the same hospitals but who did not enroll in the program. Patients undergoing prehabilitation had shorter LOS, lower costs of care, and were more likely to be discharged to home.