Background: With the adoption of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) programs, patients are being discharged earlier and require more post-discharge teaching and educational materials and information.  
Objective: To assess the satisfaction, discharge needs and planning as well as follow-up concerns of patients who were part of an ERAS implementation (iERAS) program.
Methods: Between 2012–2015, an iERAS program was implemented for patients having elective colorectal surgery at a large teaching hospital. After implementation, a survey containing multiple-choice questions, preference ranking, and open-ended questions was created to ascertain patient informational and follow-up needs prior to discharge. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. 
Results: A total of 496 patients were mailed surveys, of which 222 (44.2%) completed the survey. Ninety-three percent were satisfied with the discharge information they received and 90% felt they were ready for discharge. Eighty-six percent of patients saw their surgeon at 6 weeks and 88% were satisfied with this follow-up plan. Some patients did feel they had inadequate post-operative information including how to mitigate complications while at home, and a lack of access to reliable information for common post-operative occurrences. Patients with ostomies would have liked more information about what they could expect post-discharge and what symptoms were normal. Support from the homecare team and having a surgical nurse available if there were concerns were considered to be essential. 
Limitations: Retrospective survey data from a single institution. 
Conclusions: Improved post-operative education for surgical patients prior to discharge within an ERAS program is required to facilitate patient-centered discharge planning. Such interventions may help to decrease unplanned hospital visits during the immediate post-discharge period.

Ready to go home? Patients' Experiences of the Discharge Process following Care in an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Program for Colorectal Surgery