['In recent years, with the introduction of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) or Fast-Track protocols, perioperative care for colonic surgery has changed significantly. This is the experience of a single surgeon within a public hospital in New Zealand.', 'Between October 2005 and July 2007, consecutive patients undergoing segmental colonic resection by the senior author (AGH) were managed within a multimodal structured perioperative care pathway.', 'Thirty-two consecutive patients had elective colonic surgery without a stoma. Two were excluded because of cognitive impairment. The 30 remaining patients had a median age of 68.5 years (range 37-92) and a median daystay of 3 days (range 3-21). There were four (13%) readmissions, including one anastomotic leak.'] Is fast-track open colectomy possible in a New Zealand public hospital?