Table 1 Recommendations for enhancement of the recovery of the depressed surgical Patient

• Adoption of reliable and feasible screening process.

• Use of large multi-center randomized controlled trials to confirm the value of screening and treatment of depression.

• Adoption of a multi-modal approach of peri-operative care.

• Inclusion of major depression in risk stratification tools for predicting morbidity and mortality in adult patients undergoing major surgery.

• More use of clinical registries in studies for the depressed surgical patient.