Preoperative low-energy diets may reduce complications for overweight patients undergoing non-bariatric surgery.

• Patients lost an average of 4.5 kg during a 3-week low-energy diet.
• Pooled analysis shows a 19% relative risk reduction in postoperative morbidity with low-energy diets.

Further validation through a larger trial is needed to enhance recruitment and follow-up.

• Adherence to the diet was high at 81.7%, indicating patient feasibility.

Increasing postoperative steps may significantly reduce hospital stay and complications for surgical patients.

• Each additional 1,000 steps/day post-surgery is linked to a 6% shorter length of stay.
• This increase is associated with a 17% lower chance of 30-day complications and a 18% drop in 90-day readmissions.

Focus on monitoring step count post-surgery rather than relying on self-reported wellness or heart rate variability for discharge planning.

• No significant correlation was found between postoperative heart rate variability changes and recovery outcomes.

Early mobilisation within 24 hours post-abdominal surgery significantly enhances patient recovery.

• Engaging patients in standing or walking boosts physiological recovery and outcomes.
• Key prerequisites include stable hemodynamics, effective pain relief, and cognitive readiness.

Implementing early mobilisation can standardize recovery protocols and improve surgical outcomes.

• Well-staffed healthcare teams are crucial for successful early mobilisation efforts.

Using surgical report cards linked to quality improvement efforts can enhance patient outcomes.

• Review identified 19 studies showing report cards lead to improved surgical outcomes when tied to quality improvement initiatives.
• One in four controlled studies saw a statistically significant reduction in mortality.

Integrating report cards with actionable improvements is essential for better results.

• Most studies, however, showed moderate to high risk of bias, highlighting the need for cautious interpretation.