When surgery is required, our caring environment, advanced technology and experienced surgical staff make all the difference in patient care. This may be the result of illness or injury that requires surgical correction. To help with your care and to make this experience easier for you , we would like to make the following suggestions.
Things to do Before Surgery
Registration for your hospital visit - After you and your doctor have agreed on a date for your procedure, it is important that you contact the hospital Registration Department to confirm the procedure has been scheduled. At this time it will be necessary to confirm your personal information and insurance. Arrangements for payment of any co-pay or deductibles must be made at this time.
Pre-operative Instructions
Your surgeon will give you specific instructions about which of your medications you should take and which you should stop taking before surgery. Some medications can affect your recovery. You should follow these instructions carefully to avoid having to postpone your surgery.
Do not eat or drink anything, including water, for at least 8 hours before your surgery. Your doctor will tell you exactly what time to stop eating and drinking.
On the Day of Surgery
- Wear comfortable clothing.
- DO NOT bring jewelry or valuables to the hospital.
- A parent or legal guardian must accompany any patient who is a minor, or unable to give consent for treatment. They must remain in the facility through the procedure.
- Make sure to follow all of your doctors instructions concerning your medications and food and liquid intake.
- Because space is limited, limit the number of people who accompany you to the hospital.
After Surgery Care
Following your surgery, you will be taken to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit where you will be watched over by trained nurses. For reasons of infection control and patient confidentiality, visitors are not allowed in the PACU. Here you will be asked to describe your pain level based on the 1 thru 10 scale. After you are alert you will be returned for discharge, or admitted to the hospital for further observation.
Before you can be discharged you must have transportation home. You will be given written instructions for your home care and any prescriptions for medications the doctor has ordered for your care. A nurse will escort you to your transportation or provide a wheelchair if you are unsteady on your feet.
You will receive a follow-up call within 48 hours to check on your progress from one of the nurses.
At Northwest Health System we are dedicated to providing quality, safe surgical care. It is our goal to exceed your expectations. We realize you have a choice in your surgical care. Thank you for choosing Northwest Health System.