Prehabilitation for Surgery: Making Lemonade from Lemons

Sunday, May 10, 2026

3:50 PM - 4:40 PM ET

Co-Moderator(s)

AK

Angela H. Kuhnen, MD, MPH (she/her/hers)

Attending
Lahey Hospital and Medical Center
Tufts University School of Medicine
Burlington, Massachusetts, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
Elizabeth C. Wick, MD

Professor of Surgery
University of California, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.

CME .75 hours

This symposium explores the critical role of prehabilitation in improving surgical outcomes and accelerating recovery in frail and elderly colorectal patients. Topics will include practical strategies to optimize nutrition, anemia, and physical conditioning, as well as discussion how social determinants of health and cost factor into prehabilitation. Designed for practical application, the session will provide surgeons with actionable strategies to integrate prehabilitation into perioperative workflows and deliver high-value, patient-centered care.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

Identify key components of prehabilitation—nutrition, anemia management, and physical conditioning—and their impact on outcomes in frail and elderly colorectal surgery patients.
Evaluate the influence of social determinants of health and cost considerations on the effectiveness and implementation of prehabilitation strategies.
Discuss practical approaches to incorporate prehabilitation into existing perioperative workflows for colorectal surgery patients.
Develop patient-centered, multidisciplinary strategies to enhance surgical readiness and recovery through targeted prehabilitation interventions.