Using project management principles to hardwire ERAS protocols

Implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health System in Richmond has been achieved through project and change management tools that transform the current state to the desired future state. To hardwire ERAS protocols in the OR as well as the ambulatory and acute care settings, we had to create a project team, identify our deliverables, develop tasks, and provide support for follow-through. The steps described in this article could serve as a primer for any project, but we apply them specifically to ERAS.