Prehabilitation significantly lowers postoperative mortality and care facility discharges

A department-wide prehabilitation program notably reduced 30-day mortality, discharges to post-acute care facilities, and length of stay for high-risk surgical patients. In a study comparing prehabilitation recipients to matched historical controls, mortality decreased from 2.8% to 0.8%, and discharges to care facilities dropped from 12.9% to 8.8%. The benefits of prehabilitation differ by age, with older patients experiencing the most significant reductions in mortality and facility discharges, leading to shorter hospital stays.