Prehabilitation Before Surgery

Why prehabilitation, and why an anesthesiologist The weeks before surgery are an underused window. Optimizing a patient's physiology before an operation — rather than only managing complications after — is associated with fewer postoperative complications, shorter hospital stays, and faster functional recovery.

Prehabilitation is squarely within the perioperative physician's domain. As an anesthesiologist, Dr. Lockhart brings a perioperative-risk lens: the same assessment used to keep patients safe through anesthesia, applied earlier, to make the surgery itself safer and recovery faster.

What optimization can include Every plan shares a multimodal, evidence-based core — physical conditioning and functional capacity, nutrition and protein, glycemic control, correction of anemia and iron deficiency, reduction of smoking and alcohol, and medication and cardiovascular-risk optimization — with the emphasis shifted to what matters most for the operation planned.

Tailored to your surgery Prehabilitation is not one-size-fits-all. Every operation stresses the body differently, and the weeks beforehand are best spent building the specific reserves that surgery will draw on. Care begins from the type of surgery planned and the time available before it:

• Cancer / oncologic surgery — often on a fixed neoadjuvant timeline; the priority is preserving nutrition and functional capacity so patients enter surgery, and any treatment preceding it, as strong as possible.

• Major abdominal, colorectal & GI surgery — correction of pre-operative anemia and iron deficiency, nutritional optimization, and conditioning aligned with enhanced-recovery (ERAS) pathways.

• Gynecologic surgery — including hysterectomy and prolapse repair; attention to anemia (common with heavy menstrual bleeding), metabolic health, and recovery readiness.

• Orthopedic joint replacement (hip / knee) — glycemic control to reduce infection risk, strength and functional training, weight and metabolic optimization, bone health, and opioid-sparing planning.

• Breast surgery — functional and metabolic readiness, with plans built around any oncologic timeline.

• Other major elective surgery — the same principles, tailored case by case.

Who to refer Any patient awaiting elective surgery who would benefit from optimization — particularly those with deconditioning or low functional capacity, poorly controlled diabetes, anemia, malnutrition, obesity or metabolic syndrome, frailty, or elevated cardiovascular risk. Earlier referral means more time to prepare, so please include the planned surgery date.

How care works Group Medical Visits are the core of this practice: MSP-covered, physician-led group sessions delivering medically-directed pre-operative optimization to referred patients. Individual private consultations are available occasionally, for unusual or complex cases, generally most useful after the relevant GMV, and billed at $350/hour, pro-rated to the length of the session.

Assessment and recommendations are sent to the referring surgeon and family physician.

Scope

This practice complements your existing care — it does not replace it. Dr. Lockhart provides consultative and group medical optimization alongside your surgeon, anesthesiologist and family physician, who remain responsible for your surgical and primary care. Findings and recommendations are shared with your referring surgeon, anesthesiologist and family physician to support coordinated care.

Fees

Group Medical Visits are MSP-covered for referred, eligible patients and form the core of this practice. Individual private consultations are not available for this indication. Please see the anesthesiology department associated with your hospital for a one-on-one anesthesia consult.

Referrals

A referral is required. MSP-covered group medical visits require an active referral from a family physician, nurse practitioner, or specialist. If you don't have one, use the New Patient button to guide you.