IN-PERSON WORKSHOP: Prehabilitation and LM - A Shared Medical Appointment Model to Improve Surgical Outcomes

Workshop Description: This workshop will explore the role of lifestyle medicine–based prehabilitation Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs) as an innovative, evidence-informed approach to optimizing surgical outcomes and patient experience. As health systems worldwide seek strategies to reduce perioperative risk, improve recovery, and deliver high-value care, prehabilitation grounded in nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep, social connectedness, avoidance of risky substances, and behavior change has emerged as a powerful and underutilized solution. This workshop will highlight how integrating lifestyle medicine principles into group-based presurgical care can enhance patient readiness for surgery while supporting long-term health beyond the operative episode.

Participants will examine the surgical rationale for prehabilitation SMAs, including their impact on complication rates, length of stay, readmissions, and functional recovery. The session will review the growing research base supporting lifestyle medicine interventions in the preoperative period and discuss how SMAs can efficiently deliver this care at scale. Attention will be given to patient prioritized outcomes, including engagement, commitment, confidence, and satisfaction, with a focus on how peer support and group learning influence, reinforce, and sustain behavior change before and after surgery.

A distinguishing feature of this workshop is its interactive, practice-oriented design. International faculty with direct experience implementing prehabilitation SMAs and scaled health coaching interventions in diverse healthcare systems will share real-world models, lessons learned, and outcomes from their experiences. Through brief case presentations, facilitated discussion, and audience polling, participants will compare approaches across countries and care settings, highlighting adaptable strategies and common challenges. Attendees will also engage in small-group exercises to map prehabilitation workflows and identify opportunities to integrate lifestyle medicine and health coaching into their own surgical pathways.

Health coaching will be emphasized as a core component of effective prehabilitation. Participants will observe and practice coaching techniques, including goal setting and motivational interviewing, and explore how interprofessional teams can collaborate within the SMA model. By the end of the workshop, participants will have developed practical insights, evidence-based strategies, and globally informed perspectives to support the design and expansion of lifestyle medicine and coaching based prehabilitation SMAs in their own institutions