Comparison of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) metrics by race among gynecologic oncology patients: Ensuring equitable outcomes.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Race and ethnicity are not routinely audited in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways. Given known racial disparities in outcomes in gynecologic oncology, the purpose of this study was to compare differences in ERAS implementation and outcomes by race. METHODS: A cohort study was performed among gynecologic oncology patients enrolled in an ERAS pathway at one academic institution from March 2017 to December 2021. Compliance with ERAS metrics, postoperative complications, 30-day survival, reoperations, intensive care unit (ICU) transfers, and readmissions within 30 days were compared by race. RESULTS: Of 1083 patients (17.0% non-white), non-white women were younger (54.2 years ±13.1 vs. 60.7 years ±13.6, p < 0.001) and proportionally fewer spoke English (75.0% vs. 97.8%, p < 0.001). Fewer non-white women received preadmission ERAS education (73.4% vs. 79.9%, p = 0.05). There were no differences in ERAS implementation by race, including similar rates of preoperative nutritional assessment, carbohydrate loading, antibiotic and thrombosis prophylaxis, and unplanned surgeries by race. There were no differences in complications, reoperations, ICU transfers, or readmissions by race on univariate and multivariate analysis. Four non-white (2.2%) and two white women (0.2%, p = 0.009) died within 30 days of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer non-white women received preadmission education, possibly due to language barriers. ERAS compliance, postoperative complications, readmissions, reoperations, and ICU transfers did not differ by race. There were two additional deaths within 30 days postoperatively among non-white women compared to white women - which is difficult to interpret given the rarity of perioperative mortality - but appeared unlikely to be related to differences in ERAS protocol implementation. ERAS programs should ensure educational materials are translated into various languages and audit metrics by race to ensure equitable outcomes.