BEIJING -- China will conduct a trial run of the enhanced recovery after surgery program at a select number of hospitals from 2019 to 2020, according to a circular issued by the National Health Commission.

The move is part of the country's efforts to promote ERAS development and improve both the standardization and efficiency of surgical diagnosis and treatment, said the NHC.

The trial run will be carried out in certain major general hospitals and specialized hospitals for orthopedics, before being extended to other disciplines and diseases.

A group of orthopedics experts under the ERAS experts committee, to be established at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, will be responsible for carrying out the pilot work, preparing training materials and organizing training.

The group will also assist in conducting technical examinations and verifications of hospitals that apply for the trial run while providing them with guidance, the NHC said.

The hospitals selected for the trial shall focus on establishing ERAS work systems and standard procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of relevant diseases and improving ERAS diagnosis and treatment capacity, according to the NHC.