P18 - Patient and Family-Centered Ostomy Care: An Evaluation of Patients that Utilize the Teaching and Resources of the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Program (ERAS)

Purpose: To evaluate the educational efficacy and overall reduction in hospital readmissions of new ostomates that received preoperative ostomy education, resources and post-operative access to the “world” ostomy nurse practitioner through the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program. The goal of the ERAS program is to provide pre-operative surgical optimization and pre-abiliation. Focus is placed on pre-operative health optimization, patient education, and resource guidance to assist patients in making educated and informed decisions in their surgical venture; giving patients the ability to independently access the provided and available resources if encountering a variety of ostomy-related issues or complications. This education and resource guidance aims to decrease overall preoperative anxiety and increase patient confidence in ostomy self-care, furthermore preventing emergency room visits and consequential hospitalizations. Patient education and provision of access to continuing care resources is vital to the success of the program. In this institutional study, 71 ERAS patients received preoperative education by the “world” ostomy nurse practitioner and stoma clinic resources during the study window of January-September 2019. 53% of patients were seniors, over age 60, demonstrating a potentially vulnerable patient population. Of the 71 patients seen in the ERAS clinic, 66 patients had colorectal surgery resulting in ostomy placement. 54% of the new ostomates utilized the “world” ostomy nurse practitioner via phone or clinic visit with problems that would have otherwise resulted in a potential emergency room visit and possible readmission for hospitalization.

Outcome: The results of this study provide statistical support that enrollment in the ERAS program to provide new ostomates with pre-operative education, support, and resources to increase independence in ostomy self-care, reduces overall post-operative emergency room visits and consequential hospitalization.