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Patient Resources

Your Visit

IMPORTANT NOTE:

  • Guest Policy - Due to current COVID restrictions, guests are not allowed in the Waiting Room or pre-op areas with the exception of parents of a minor child or a healthcare worker accompanying a patient from a Group Home. All guests will be screened following the CDC guidelines.
  • Masks must be properly worn by everyone entering any of our buildings, before, during, and after your appointment.

What to expect when you are having surgery at the Ambulatory Center.  Below are some general tips to prepare for your visit:

  • Your doctor’s office will let you know the day of surgery.
     
  • A pre-surgical testing appointment will be set up for you.  This appointment is very important and may be either a phone call or an actual appointment with our Pre-surgical testing nurses.  This appointment will be within the week of your surgery.
     
  • The night before your surgery you will be instructed to not have anything to eat or drink after midnight.  This is for your safety during the administration of anesthesia.  Having food or drink in your belly may cause vomiting and this may cause you to aspirate which is very dangerous.
     
  • Endoscopy patients should follow their prep instructions if having a colonoscopy.  If having an upper scope nothing to eat or drink after midnight.
     
  • Please contact the surgery center the day before for surgical patients and 2 days before for endoscopy patients for your time of arrival between the hours of 3pm and 4:30pm.  This is not your surgery time.  We need some time with you before your procedure to get you admitted.
     
  • On the day of your procedure, you will be registered by our front desk.  They will recheck your name and date of birth and place an I.D. band on you.  This should remain on you until you are discharged.
     
  • The pre-operative nurse will come and get you as soon as they can.  They too will check your name band and ask for your name and date of birth.  Your family will be asked to wait in the waiting room until they are done admitting you.  Sometimes they can be brought back to sit with you while you wait for your surgery time.
     
  • The pre-operative nurse will interview you and go over your medical history.  You will be asked to sign consent for your procedure if it is not signed already.  You will be seen by our anesthesia team and they will discuss what medications you will receive during your procedure.  You will sign a consent giving the anesthesia team permission to take care of you.
     
  • Your doctor will come and see you before your surgery
     
  • When the operating room is ready the operating room nurse and the anesthesia team member will come and talk to you.  They will ask for your name and date of birth and check your id band.  The anesthesia team will give a little medication on the way into the room so that you will be relaxed for the surgical patients.  Endoscopy patients will be medicated in the room.
     
  • After your procedure is over you will be transferred to the recovery area.  The nurses there will let you rest for a while.  When you are awake the nurses will provide a light snack to make sure you are able to eat and drink.  The doctor will usually come and speak with you if they haven’t spoken to your family.
     
  • The recovery room nurse will go over discharge instructions and instruct you about any new prescriptions you may be going home with.
     
  • The recovery room nurse will assist you out to the car.
     
  • We will call you within 48 hours of discharge to make sure you are doing ok.
     
  • If you have any questions please call us at 703-3800.  If you are experiencing any severe problems that need immediate attention please call the doctor’s office at 703-6999 or call 911
     
  • We hope you have a speedy recovery