Surgical Services
The Surgical Services at Scenic Mountain Medical Center, including the Outpatient Day Surgery Center, the Operating Room (OR) and the Post Anesthesia Care Unit, stand ready to care for you should you require a surgical or diagnostic procedure. 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 will be made at this time.
Pre-operative Instructions
Some medications can affect your recovery. Your surgeon will give you specific instructions about which of your medications you should take and which you should stop taking before surgery. 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 doctor’s instructions concerning your medications and food and liquid intake.
- Because space is limited, limit the number of people who accompany you to the hospital
In the Day Surgery Center
When you are admitted to the Day Surgery Center you will be taken to one of our holding rooms and asked to change into one of our hospital gown. An IV will be started and the nurse will review your history and the reason for your surgery.
The nurse will also discuss your pain control after surgery. You will be asked to describe your pain on a scale of 1 (little or no pain) to 10 (the worst pain imaginable). This will be important in managing your pain after surgery.
After reviewing your medical history, scheduled procedure and pre-operative teaching, you will meet members of the surgical team responsible for your care in the OR. The OR nurse and anesthesia provider will speak with you and review the information you have already discussed. This is part of our safety check system to assure you receive the proper care. You will then be taken to the Operating Room.
After Surgery Care
Following your surgery, you will be taken to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit where you will be watched over by highly trained nurses. You will be asked to describe your pain based on the 1 thru 10 scale described earlier. For reasons of infection control and patient confidentiality, visitors are not allowed in the PACU.
Once you are alert, you will be returned to the Day Surgery Center 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 in the Outpatient Day Surgery Unit.
At Scenic Mountain Medical Center (SMMC), we're dedicated to providing quality surgical care and our goal is to exceed our patients' expectations. We realize you have a choice in your surgical care. Thank you for choosing Scenic Mountain medical Center.