Focused preoperative patient stoma education, prior to ileostomy formation after anterior resection, contributes to a reduction in delayed discharge within the enhanced recovery programme.

Purpose: Stoma formation is a well-known cause for delayed discharge following colorectal surgery. This has been addressed by the enhanced recovery programme (ERP) preoperatively through stoma counselling sessions. These aim to promote independent stoma management post-operatively, thus expediting hospital discharge.