The program, which was created in the United States about ten years ago and began to be adapted at the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) in 2019, allows many patients to reduce hospital stays.
The formula is to promote rapid movement of patients, before and immediately after the operation.
“We really started, that same morning, to sit up and get up,” says Bernard Hugron, who had open-heart surgery 24 hours ago.
Recovery times have changed thanks to this new approach.
“Our average hospital stay after open heart surgery has traditionally been 6 days. Last year, we had nearly 400 patients who were able to leave the hospital on the third or fourth day after the procedure,” explained Dr. Yoann Lamarche, Head of the Care Unit Surgical focus in ICM.
The new program is not only beneficial to patients.
“There are costs associated with the program. Last year, to give you an idea, we saved up to $4 million,” confirms Amelie Braciola, head of the surgical intensive care unit at ICM.
The Montreal Heart Institute will be able to perform an additional 300 surgeries this year, even with a staff shortage.
