ERAS® stands for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery. It is an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach to surgical care that supports patients before, during and after surgery.

Beyond focusing on the operation itself, this approach brings together surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, physiotherapists, dietitians, patients and caregivers to support recovery throughout the care journey. At NHG Health, the care activities include:

• Preparing patients physically and mentally before surgery
• Using modern surgical and anaesthetic techniques
• Supporting early nutrition and mobilisation after surgery
• Engaging patients and families as active partners in recovery 

ERAS® is an important part of NHG Health's commitment to Appropriate and Value-Based Care (AVBC). By applying evidence-based practices consistently across hospitals and specialties, we help patients recover faster, experience fewer complications, spend less time in hospital, and return to their daily lives sooner. At the same time, healthcare resources are used more efficiently, creating value for both patients and the healthcare system.  

No. ERAS® is an internationally recognised model of surgical care that is used around the world.

NHG Health is the first public healthcare group in Asia where all its hospitals—Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) and Woodlands Hospital (WH)—are ERAS®-certified for total knee replacement and bariatric surgery*. These certifications affirm that care is delivered according to international benchmarks. 

*Bariatric surgery is a weight-loss surgery for people whose weight is significantly affecting their health and quality of life, and where lifestyle measures alone have not achieved the desired results. 

ERAS® focuses on the entire recovery journey, not just the surgical procedure itself. It ensures that everyone involved in the patient's care is working towards shared recovery goals.

Dr How Kwang Yeong, Clinical Director of NHG Health's ERAS® Perioperative Care Office and Senior Consultant, General Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, explains:

"ERAS® is about organising care so that patients recover better and faster, by tailoring the programme to individual needs and ensuring that every member of the care team, including the patient and family, is fully aware of the goals of care and their responsibilities. It is also about culture change, in the way we think, the way we work together, and the way we care for our patients. Clinical protocols are only as effective as the people and systems behind them." 

Once surgery is planned, our care teams initiate pre-operative preparation through evidence-based interventions such as patient education, nutritional optimisation, smoking cessation, and physical conditioning to ensure patients are well-prepared for their operation.

Dr Wee Jing Zhong, Clinical Lead of NHG Health's ERAS® Perioperative Care Office and Consultant, Anaesthesia, Woodlands Hospital, shares:

"The perioperative journey is a profound teachable moment where prehabilitation and ERAS® pathways transform a stressful surgical encounter into an empowering health literacy opportunity for our patients. By actively engaging patients in their own preparation and recovery, we hope to build lasting self-care habits that extend far beyond the hospital doors." 

A key principle is helping patients become active participants in their own recovery. Patients are encouraged to move early, eat early where appropriate, and understand the recovery milestones they are working towards.

Mr Wong Chen Cheng, Senior Physiotherapist, Woodlands Hospital, explains:

"ERAS® has empowered patients with the knowledge, strength and mindset to participate in their own recovery. When patients understand what to expect and believe in what they can achieve, they move sooner, recover faster, and return home with greater independence. That mindset shift is often what makes the difference between a smooth recovery and a prolonged one." 

Successful recovery requires contributions from many healthcare professionals, with patients themselves playing a central role.

Ms Teoh Huiru, Senior Dietitian, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, shares:

"ERAS® isn't merely the implementation of evidence-based guidelines. It is a collaborative approach that brings together multidisciplinary healthcare teams and actively involves patients in their own care and recovery, with the patient. This collective effort is key to the success of ERAS®." 

Nurses play a central role in the ERAS® programme, supporting patients throughout their recovery journey through early mobilisation, nutrition management, patient education and post-operative care.

Ms Nurulain bte Ahmad Wijaya, Nurse Clinician, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, says:

"Nurse-led mobilisation and nutrition empower nurses to provide proactive, patient-centred care with confidence, making it rewarding to see patients recover and return home safely."

Ms Jayce Soh, a caregiver, shares:  

"The nurses' guidance gave us confidence every step of the way." 

ERAS® allows surgeons to combine modern surgical techniques with coordinated, evidence-based perioperative care to improve outcomes for patients.

Dr Sim Wei Ping, Clinical Lead of NHG Health's ERAS® Perioperative Care Office and Consultant, Orthopaedic Surgery, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, explains:

"By utilising modern surgical techniques, multimodal pain strategies, early mobilisation and patient education, ERAS® has allowed surgeons to safely minimise surgical stress, reduce complication rates and accelerate a patient's return to function. This optimises patient outcomes and decreases overall cost of an episode of care." 

NHG Health continues to expand ERAS® principles and protocols to more surgical pathways and specialties.

By combining international best practices, multidisciplinary teamwork, patient partnership and continuous improvement, ERAS® will continue to help patients recover better, recover faster and return to the activities that matter most to them. Beyond improving surgical recovery, ERAS® reflects NHG Health's commitment to Appropriate and Value-Based Care (AVBC)—delivering outcomes that matter to patients while making the best use of healthcare resources. Through evidence-based care, reduced complications, shorter hospital stays and greater patient empowerment, ERAS® demonstrates how better outcomes and better value can go hand in hand.