Before Surgery

We ask that you collect all information provided by your physician’s office or lab and forward to us at least 72 hours prior to arriving at the center. Your surgeon will inform you what, if any pre-operative testing is required. Follow these guidelines to ensure that your procedure or surgery goes smoothly :

What is an Ambulatory Surgery Center?

• It is our policy and a requirement that you bring a valid State or Government issued form of identification, such as a State issued Driver’s License or a valid and current Passport. We also ask that you bring your insurance card even if this is a returning visit to ensure that we have the most recent and up to date information in our system. Bringing this information with you will ensure a more efficient process and will decrease the need for a family member to return with this information. The Preoperative Nurse may instruct you to leave your valuables at home, but this does not include your payment method, ID, insurance card and/or glasses if needed to read legal forms.
• You will receive multiple phone calls from different Surgery Center departments prior to your surgery date. One of these calls will be from the Insurance Verification Department. You will only receive this call if we are informed by your insurance that you owe a co-pay or a large deductible. We will call as far in advance as we can to provide you with the maximum amount of time to plan for this expense. If money is due on the day of service, payment is accepted by money order, cashier’s check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or cash. Please have the exact amount because we do not have change. The Surgery Center does not accept personal or credit card checks.

Preoperative Information

• It is your responsibility to arrange in advance for a responsible adult (over the age of 18 years old) to pick you up at the center, drive you home and remain with you for the first 24 hours after surgery. If you will be having general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, monitored anesthesia care or moderate sedation you cannot drive yourself, take public transportation, or be left alone. The exception to this is if, and only if, you are having your procedure performed with local anesthesia alone and NO sedation at all.
• Notify your physician before coming to the center if there is any change in your physical condition, such as a cold or fever.
• A Preoperative Nurse will call you prior to your surgery to do an informational interview and provide specific instructions for your surgery. These calls are typically made 2-3 days prior to your scheduled surgery. If you have not been contacted by the day prior to your surgery, please call the center (510-547-2244, ext. 126) to speak with a pre-op nurse and get specific instructions.
• You will be instructed as to what time to arrive to the Center (typically 60-75 minutes before your scheduled procedure).
• If you wear contact lenses or glasses, bring a case for their safekeeping. We provide containers for removable dentures and bridgework.
• Unless instructed otherwise by a Surgery Center pre-operative nurse do not drink or eat anything after midnight except small sips of water to take your usual medications. You may brush your teeth, but remember not to swallow anything. Failure to follow these instructions can significantly increase your anesthesia risk and may result in the cancellation of your surgery. The concern is the possibility of gastric (stomach) contents ending up in the lung resulting in a life threatening lung injury (aspiration pneumonia).
• Please take all of your usual medication after midnight unless instructed otherwise by your physician or by The Surgery Center. One exception is that if you are diabetic and on oral medications to treat your blood sugar, don’t take that diabetes medication on the day of surgery. If you are diabetic and using insulin, please obtain specific instructions from The Surgery Center.
• Please bathe or shower prior to surgery. Do not use lotions, perfumes, or oils after bathing.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as sweat suits and easy-to-button shirts or blouses that are big enough to accommodate a large bandage after surgery. Wear comfortable shoes.
• Leave all valuables; including jewelry, body piercings, and cash, at home, but remember to bring your ID. We will not be responsible for damaged or lost property.
• Please expect to have approximately 1 hour recovery time prior to being discharged home.