FV pioneers ERAS® implementation in Vietnam in line with international standards, supporting faster postoperative recovery

FV Hospital has become the first hospital in Vietnam to partner with Sweden-based Encare AB to implement the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) programme. Through this partnership, FV joins Encare’s network of 22 hospitals in 11 countries across the Asia-Pacific region. The initiative aims to standardise surgical care according to international guidelines, leverage data to evaluate outcomes, and continuously improve the quality of treatment.

“Implementing the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) programme aligns with FV Hospital’s strategic positioning as “A Standard of Medical Excellence”. It is an evidence-based approach to surgical care that aims to reduce the adverse effects of surgery and support faster recovery. It helps prepare patients for surgery and provides continuous care throughout their recovery,” said Dr Jean-Marcel Guillon, Chief Executive Officer of FV Hospital.

At FV, many principles supporting early recovery were already embedded in clinical practice. The partnership with Encare builds on these existing practices by bringing them together within a structured implementation pathway, supported by standardised clinical guidelines, multidisciplinary training, and a systematic framework for monitoring compliance and evaluating clinical outcomes. This is a key step forward, enabling FV to assess how the pathway is being implemented, identify areas for improvement, and continue enhancing quality based on real-world data.

The da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system at FV Hospital

The programme is being rolled out initially in two specialties: colorectal surgery and hip and knee replacement surgery. Each implementation team consists of six members, including surgeons, nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists, and coordinators.

According to Dr Le Trong Phat, PhD, Head of Orthopaedics and Hand Surgery Department, the principles of ERAS®, which aim to support faster patient recovery, have been applied in the Orthopaedics & Hand Surgery Department for some time. With ERAS®, these practices are now integrated into a clearly defined care pathway, helping FV’s multidisciplinary team coordinate patient care more effectively. He also emphasised that recovery after surgery depends not only on care protocols but also on surgical technique and other clinical factors.

Dr Phan Van Thai, MSc, Specialist Level II, Head of General Surgery Department, explained that the value of ERAS® lies in bringing effective clinical practices together in a single, unified care pathway. When doctors, nurses and other relevant specialists follow the same guidelines, treatment coordination, monitoring and evaluation of care quality become more systematic.

International training and data-driven evaluation

As part of the collaboration, FV’s clinical teams are participating in the ERAS® Implementation Programme (EIP), guided by training experts appointed by the ERAS® Society. The programme supports the hospital in reviewing current practices, identifying areas for improvement, implementing changes and monitoring progress over time.

Alongside training, FV uses the ERAS® Interactive Audit System (EIAS) provided by Encare. This system captures surgical data, monitors adherence to clinical guidelines, and measures outcomes such as length of hospital stay, complications, and readmission rates.

As a result, implementing ERAS® goes beyond simply conducting training sessions or issuing guidelines. Real-world data helps clinical teams identify steps that are not being performed consistently, set improvement priorities, and monitor how changes affect patient care.

According to Ms Pham Thi Thanh Mai, Chief Operating Officer of FV Hospital, FV will retrospectively audit at least 50 surgical cases performed before implementation. These cases will be assessed against ERAS® standards to evaluate adherence and review outcomes, including length of hospital stay. Based on these findings, the team will identify areas for improvement, adjust protocols and continue recording data from subsequent surgical cases. This three-year collaboration will compare performance before and after ERAS® implementation based on the actual number of cases treated at FV.

An FV patient undergoing physiotherapy as part of post-operative recovery

Enhanced recovery: The journey begins before the patient enters the operating theatre

According to Dr Vu Truong Son, MSc, Medical Director of FV Hospital, ERAS® prepares patients well before surgery. It helps them understand what to expect and how to prepare actively. From nutrition and exercise before surgery to pain management, eating and drinking, early mobilisation and self-care afterwards, the programme encourages patients to take an active role in their recovery. Dr Son noted that a 2024 meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open found that ERAS® reduced the average length of hospital stay by nearly two days and lowered the relative risk of complications by approximately 29% compared with conventional care.

Implementing ERAS® at FV aims to deliver the highest quality of care to patients

Completing the required number of surgical cases and collecting the necessary audit data are prerequisites for FV to work towards ERAS® Qualification, which is independently assessed by the ERAS® Society. This is the final step in confirming that a healthcare facility  meets international standards for enhanced recovery after surgery. According to Ms Pham Thi Thanh Mai, the programme may help reduce patients’ costs by shortening hospital stays while improving safety in line with FV’s positioning of “A Standard of Medical Excellence”.

FV Hospital is honored to achieve JCI accreditation for four consecutive times

“Working towards ERAS® Qualification is the next step in standardising the quality of surgical care. It builds on the clinical capabilities of a JCI-accredited hospital and supports FV’s ambition to strengthen its international reputation and attract more international patients,” said Ms Mai.

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About FV Hospital

Founded in Ho Chi Minh City in 2003, FV Hospital is a member of Thomson Medical Group (Singapore), one of Southeast Asia’s leading healthcare groups. FV Hospital provides multidisciplinary medical care and is committed to maintaining clinical excellence and patient safety. The hospital has achieved JCI international accreditation four consecutive times since 2016.

About Encare

Encare AB is a Swedish health-tech company and the ERAS® Society’s exclusive global commercial partner. This partnership began in 2010 and runs until 2039. Encare provides the ERAS® Interactive Audit System (EIAS) and works with trainers appointed by the ERAS® Society to help hospitals implement the ERAS® Implementation Program (EIP) and work towards ERAS® Qualification. Encare currently works with 140 hospitals in 34 countries, with more than 130,000 ERAS® surgical cases recorded in the EIAS system since 2010.