Preparing for Surgery
The Pre-Admission Department's goal is to help prepare you for a safe and successful surgery. This will include a nursing assessment, patient and family education, and preoperative tests as indicated. We offer both face-face visits, or telephone interviews depending upon your patient status.
Preoperative evaluations are important for your overall care by allowing us to obtain complete and updated medical history information, thereby avoiding possible surgical delays or cancellation.
Please contact us for an appointment as soon as your physician has scheduled you for surgery.
You may qualify for a phone appointment if deemed medically appropriate. We require that your pre-admission visit or phone assessment be completed at least 3-10 days in advance of your surgery date, unless otherwise directed by your surgeon. Inpatient orthopaedic surgeries normally require appointments 2-3 weeks in advance of surgery.
Please bring the following to the pre-admission visit:
- Photo identification
- Insurance card(s)
- "Persons to notify" and emergency contact information
- List of medications with dosage and frequency, allergies
- Health history screening form
- Advanced Health Care Directive (optional)
Please check-in at the front lobby/concierge desk. Our admissions clerk will register and sign your paperwork. Your visit may take 30 minutes to 1 hour. Cardiac patients should allow 1 1/2 hours plus time for any additional scheduled tests.
Your visit with our Preadmissions nurse will include the following:
- Nursing and anesthesia assessment
- Medical history
- Preoperative testing- this may include labs, chest x-ray, EKG and other tests ordered by your physician
- Patient education