Preparing For Your Surgery

• Wear loose, comfortable clothing so you can change easily before and after surgery.
• Leave ALL valuables at home and bring only essential items such as glasses, dentures, hearing aids, canes, etc.
• Please do not wear perfume/cologne, makeup, nail polish, or jewelry (including rings and watches).

Please bring the following with you:

• Health insurance card
• Current photo ID
• X-rays or other medical documentation requested by your surgeon
• Personal medication card
  
• Any forms from your surgeon's office

You will be asked to arrive approximately two hours before your scheduled surgery so you and your care team have adequate time to get you ready for surgery. We will make every effort to begin your surgery at the scheduled time.

If we experience unanticipated delays in caring for other patients, we will keep you informed of our progress. We will estimate the time we anticipate being able to begin your surgery.

Registration

If your surgery is in the main operating room, you will check in at surgery admission unit registration, which is across the corridor from the entrance to E2 patient care unit.

If your surgery is at the Ambulatory Surgery Center, you will check in at registration, which is directly opposite the elevator on the 3rd floor of the Advanced Medicine (Cancer) Center.

You will then meet with Patient Access Services and be asked to wait in the reception area.

Your next stop is pre-op where you'll be asked to change into a hospital gown in a private area. We'll check your weight, blood pressure and temperature and make final preparations for surgery. We'll also review your medications, medical history, and allergies.

Family and friends are welcome; however, we must limit the number of visitors at the bedside.

• Visitors should be limited to one healthy person at a time.
• Children under the age of 12 are not permitted.
• Food and beverages are not allowed in the pre-op area but may be consumed in the waiting room.
• Cellular devices must be turned off and remain off.
• Perfumes and colognes are strongly discouraged as many patients are allergic to such scents. 
• Complimentary WiFi is available.

The staff will ask you to identify yourself, the procedure and the site of the procedure. This information will be compared with your armband, your surgical consent, and the operating room schedule.

The staff will inquire again on any allergy information. If ordered by your surgeon, you will receive antibiotics at this time. Please note that throughout your surgical experience, our staff will practice hand hygiene to prevent infection.

Surgical consent form:

The surgical consent you reviewed and signed with your surgeon will be reviewed and checked for all necessary information including:

• Full name
• Name of your surgeon
• Name of the procedure
• Site of the procedure
• Signatures, date, and time

Surgical site marking:

• On the day of surgery, your surgeon will mark the site of your surgery unless your surgeon has already marked it and that mark is clearly visible. 
• Do not mark the site yourself.

The staff in the operating room will also confirm with you:

• Your full name
• Date of birth
• Procedure being performed
• Site of the procedure
• Any allergies
  
• Surgical consent form (accurate, signed and complete)

Time out

After you are asleep, but before surgery begins, the surgeon and all members of the operating team (anesthesiologist, nurse, technician), will take what we call a "time out" to verbally confirm several factors to include:

• Your identity
• Surgery site and side
• Correct body position
• Specific procedure being performed
• Allergies
• Surgical consent form (accurate, signed, and complete)
• Present and accurate of necessary implants and/or images
• Administration of antibiotics
• Measure taken to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT)