Patient's Experiences and Satisfaction With Prehabilitation for Abdominal and Thoracic Surgery

Prehabilitation has emerged as a vital component in preparing patients for surgery and has shown efficacy in minimizing post-operative complications and hospital length of stay. Although evidence indicates that prehabilitation improves patient outcomes, understanding patients' experiences is crucial for optimizing these programs to ensure they are effectively designed to meet patients' needs. This study aims to assess and summarize patients' experiences and satisfaction with a prehabilitation program offered prior to abdominal or thoracic surgery.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted 2 weeks post-hospital discharge at a large tertiary hospital in Australia. Responses were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Open-ended responses were analyzed using content analysis.

Responses from 107 participants were included in this study. Overall satisfaction with the prehabilitation program was high, with most participants rating their experience very positive and indicating they would recommend the program to others. Participants valued the combined exercise and education components, describing the program as helpful in preparing them for surgery. Qualitative feedback highlighted areas for improvement, including the need for clearer pain management information, earlier referrals for longer participation and sufficient information at hospital discharge.

This study explores patients' experiences with prehabilitation and provides recommendations to enhance prehabilitation implementation. Participants were highly satisfied with the program, especially with its multimodal aspect, highlighting the value of multidisciplinary education and exercise components. Additionally, several participants shared constructive feedback for improvement, such as increased supervision during exercise sessions. These findings provide valuable insights to guide the refinement of prehabilitation programs in similar healthcare settings, reinforcing the need for models that extend beyond clinical efficacy to be inclusive, adaptable, and informed by patients' lived experiences.