Arriving At The Hospital

Surgery

Plan to arrive at the hospital one and a half to two hours before your surgery is scheduled or as otherwise indicated. This is necessary to allow enough time for a thorough pre-surgery evaluation.

After you are registered, you will be taken to a private same day surgery holding room where you will change into a hospital gown. A nurse will take a brief medical history and check your vital signs. You will also meet with an anesthesiologist. Parents may remain with children during this time.

When the nurse is taking your history, please remember to mention:

If you wear dentures, including permanent dentures such as bridgework caps or crowns.
Medication you have taken or brought from home.
Any allergies.
Special orders from your physician.
Colds, fever or infection.
In the case of a child, any serious or chronic illness the child has had.
Any problems you have had with previous surgery or anesthesia.
Any family members who have had trouble with anesthesia.

Once it is determined that you are in a safe condition to have surgery, your family or friend may wait with you in the same day surgery suite until you are taken to the pre-operative holding room or to surgery. The preoperative holding room is where patients undergo regional anesthesia such as nerve blocks prior to surgery.

It is sometimes necessary for us to change the operating room schedule. We will do our best to keep you informed of any changes that might delay the scheduled time of your surgery.

While you are in surgery, your family members and friends may remain in our Surgical Waiting Area. A beeper can be provided so we may let them know when you have been taken to the recovery room. The surgeon will meet with the family following surgery to discuss the details of the case.

For safety reasons, unattended children are not allowed in the Surgical Waiting Room. Please arrange ahead of time for proper adult supervision of your children, or arrange for them to remain at home.