Coming to our hospital

Registration / Admissions

Your stay with our hospital starts with patient registration. Our goal is to make your stay as seamless as possible. The patient registration team will walk you through any paperwork, provide patient information, and facilitate your health plan coverage of procedures and services.

At check-in, a patient-access representative will ensure the following:

• Forms are signed by patient and/or representative.
• Insurance card is copied.
• Advance directive is copied (if applicable).
• Demographic/insurance information is verified.
• Financial obligations are provided or collected.
• Medicare secondary payer questionnaire is completed (Medicare patients only).

Pre-procedure assessment

At the Pre-Procedure Assessment Center (P-PAC), our goal is to ensure you are in your optimal physical and psychological health on the scheduled day of your surgery or outpatient procedure.

The average visit varies from 30 minutes to 1 hour. During your P-PAC interview with one of our registered nurses, you can expect to be asked a variety of questions concerning your medical history, current medical condition, physical condition, surgical history, current medications and allergies. This interview may take place via telephone or may require an in-person visit. If not already done elsewhere, you can expect the nursing staff and our technicians to carry out your physician’s, surgeon’s and/or anesthesiologist’s orders for tests, to include labs, EKG and radiology.

The P-PAC team will provide helpful information about your planned surgery/procedure, hospital routines and protocols, length of stay, and approximate procedure times. A chart with your personalized information will be assembled and forwarded to the appropriate hospital department in anticipation of your surgery/procedure.

Please print and complete the medication list and surgical history documents below to prepare for your telephone screening or in-person visit with the P-PAC nurse. These forms can also be brought with you on the day of surgery, as your pre-op nurse and/or anesthesia provider will ask you to confirm this information.

Pre-operation health

• Shower with an antimicrobial soap (like Dial) prior to surgery, paying special attention to clean the area of your surgery extremely well.
• If you are having a total joint procedure or an abdominal procedure, your nurse may give you additional instructions concerning the use of chlorhexidine gluconate disposable cloths after your shower.
• If you are having foot surgery, remove toenail polish on the operative foot.
• Use fresh laundered bed linens to sleep on.
• Wear freshly laundered pajamas.
• Do not sleep with pets the night prior to your surgery.
• Do not smoke, eat or drink anything after midnight prior to your surgery (even if you are scheduled for an afternoon surgery). No gum, no mints and no water. If you do not follow these instructions, your surgery may be delayed or canceled.
• For your safety, do not wear makeup, lotions, creams or fragrance on the day of your surgery/procedure.
• You may brush your teeth and spit it out the morning of your surgery.
• Take only the selected prescription medications as advised by your PPAC nurse or your surgeon/physician with a sip of water prior to leaving home. Your nurse will review which medications you will NOT take the morning of your procedure.
• If you are taking a blood thinner and/or any of the following medications and your surgeon has not told you to stop these medications, call him/her immediately to discuss:
  • Aspirin, fish oil, omega 3, vitamin E, ginseng and ginkgo
  • Aspirin with dipyridamole (AggrenoxO
  • Apixaban (Eliquis)
  • Cilostazol (Pletal)
  • Dabigatran (Pradaxa)
  • Dipyridamole (Persantine)
  • Fondaparinux (Arintra)
  • Prasugrel (Effient)
  • Plavix (Clopidogrel)
  • Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
  • Ticagrelor (Brilinta)
  • Warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
• Notify your surgeon of any changes in your physical condition prior to your procedure (e.g., flu, cold, contagious disease, skin tears and infected wounds). This will most likely postpone your surgery. For your safety, anesthesia will not be used to put you to sleep if you are sick, as this could affect your recovery.

What to bring

• Bring a picture ID, insurance cards and items needed to pay your insurance deductible/copay.
• Bring a current list of your home medications and vitamins with you, indicating the last date/time you took them. Please use our printable medication list. Do NOT bring your home medications with you. For your safety, we will dispense medicine to you.
• Because you will have anesthesia/sedation, you will not be able to drive yourself home. You will need a responsible adult driver to take you home after your surgery/procedure.
• If you wear glasses, please bring an eyeglass case. Do not wear contacts on the day of your surgery/procedure.
• If you wear dentures and/or hearing aids, please bring a container for them.
• A parent of legal guardian must accompany a minor.
• For the safety of your loved ones, do not bring children with you. There are no facilities or personnel to provide supervision.
• Bring your polar care (cold pack) with you as advised by your surgeon.
• If you have sleep apnea, bring your CPAP/BiPAP machine with you the day of surgery, along with distilled water.
• Wear loose, comfortable (appropriate) clothing that can be easily folded and placed in a bag. These items will be labeled with your name and returned to you prior to discharge.

Personal items will be given to your family member just prior to surgery. Therefore, it is important that your family member be available before you go to surgery.

Do NOT bring any valuables to the hospital, with the exception of cash and/or a credit card for your payment the day of surgery.

Do NOT bring any jewelry to the hospital. All jewelry must be removed or your surgery could be canceled. This includes wedding bands, watches, earrings, necklaces, bracelets and ankle bracelets. All body piercing jewelry must also be removed.

What to expect

• Report to the registration desk as indicated by your nurse. You will be allowed one visitor or family member throughout the perioperative experience. Your visitor/family member will also receive an armband during check-in for identification.
• Do NOT remove your armband; it is used to identify you throughout your hospital stay. For your safety, everyone will be asking for you name, date of birth and what surgery/procedure you will be having.
• You will be escorted to the pre-op area or a surgical waiting room. Once in the pre-op area, the nurse will have you change into a hospital gown.
• All clothing must be removed. This includes bras and underwear. This is for your safety.
• You will then be asked to get into the bed and will be hooked up to the monitor. We will monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation.
• The nurse will start an IV prior to your procedure. This is to provide fluids/medications. IVs are started in the hand, so when you are in the operating room, the anesthesiologist can monitor the IV to be sure you are receiving all the medication. Instruct the nurse if you have any pain, tenderness or swelling at the IV site.
• Oxygen will be administered in the operating/procedure room and in the recovery room.
• Pain medication will be available. Your comfort and pain level will be assessed continuously.
• Your visitor/family member can stay with you up until the point when we take you to surgery.
• When we take you back for surgery, we will have your visitor/family member wait in the surgical waiting room. Our waiting rooms can be cold, so let them know to bring a sweater or jacket.
• The operating room nurse will update your visitor/family member during the operation.
• After surgery, the surgeon will visit or call your visitor/family member with an update on your status.
• When you are out of surgery, you will go to the recovery room. You will be there until you are ready for discharge/transfer to the floor.
• If you are going home, we will call your visitor/family member and arrange for them to pick you up at the discharge door.
• If you are being admitted to the hospital, a room will be assigned while you are in the recovery room. We will notify your visitor/family member of your room number and the estimated time you will be transported to that room.
• You may be admitted to the hospital if your condition warrants.
• The recovery room nurse will update your visitor/family member throughout the entire recovery process.
• You may be required to tolerate fluids prior to discharge (this may not apply to all patients). You may be required to urinate prior to discharge (this may not apply to all patients).

When you get home:

• You are advised to go directly home from the hospital. Restrict your activities, resting for a day. Resume light to normal activity the day after your surgery, as instructed by your surgeon.
• Do not drive or operate any machinery for 24 hours after your surgery/procedure.
• Do not consume alcohol, tranquilizers or any non-prescribed medication for 24 hours.
• Do not make important decisions or sign any important papers for 24 hours after your surgery/procedure.
• You should have someone available for any emergency situations that may arise.
• Additional discharge instructions will be given to you the day of your surgery.

Care transition

When it’s time to leave the hospital, your doctor may recommend that you or your loved one continue rehabilitation at a skilled nursing facility until you’re strong enough to return home. Learn more about how to choose a skilled nursing facility and what to expect by watching the video below.