St. John's Services Surgery Surgery Patient Guidelines Surgery Patient Guidelines In order to assist our patients with their surgery, our team is prepared to help you from pre-surgery to after-care. Please use this information as a guide for you as you prepare for your surgery at St. John’s Hospital. Anesthesia Care Types of Anesthesia Learn More Day Before Surgery Tips for Preparation Learn More Surgery Day At the Hospital Learn More After Surgery Pain Management & Discharge Learn More Within 30 days Before Your Scheduled Surgery Visit your primary care provider for a physical examination. If directed, make an appointment with your cardiologist for “cardiac clearance.” One to Two Weeks Before Your Scheduled Surgery Pre-operative testing. Your physician may order tests prior to your procedure (labs, EKG, cardiac clearance, chest X-ray, etc.). This will need to be completed at least one week prior to surgery. Fax all results to (217) 757-6018. Pre-admission interview. A pre-admissions nurse from HSHS St. John’s Hospital will contact you to complete a pre-operative interview. The interview will include a review of your past health history and current medications. Pre-registration. Please go online and complete the registration questions by clicking here. You may also pre-register by phone by calling (217) 535-3797. Medication Verification To ensure your safety during surgery it is important to know ALL medications you are currently taking. When you complete your pre-operative telephone interview, and also arrive on the day of surgery, the surgical care team will verify your current medications and the last time you took them. This is important to help prevent drug interactions with anesthesia medications or other medications given during surgery. Please be prepared to provide the following information: Allergies or reactions to medications. Pharmacy and phone number where you get your prescriptions filled. Current prescribed medications, dose, route, frequency and duration, if you are on antibiotics. It may be helpful to read directly from the prescription or pill bottle to provide the interviewer with the most accurate information. Current non-prescription, over-the-counter medications. Current dietary supplements/vitamins/minerals/herbal medications.This includes inhalers/patches/ topical/eye/ear/nasal medications. Patient Equipment/Supplies CPAP machines. Whether you are having an outpatient procedure or being admitted to the hospital after surgery, please bring your at home respiratory devices with you to the hospital. Ventilation supplies. If you have an alternate airway, such as a tracheostomy, please bring all at home care supplies you normally use for your daily care. Enteral tube feeding supplies. If you have specific tubing or feeding supplies for yourself or your child (g-tube adaptors, portable feeding pumps or syringes), please bring them on the day of surgery. If HSHS St. John’s Hospital has the supplies for your equipment we will not expect you to use your home supplies, but in case we don’t have what you specifically use it is always a good idea to bring your preferred items. Surgery Patient Guidelines Medication & Supplies Medication Verification To ensure your safety during surgery it is important to know ALL medications you are currently taking. When you complete your pre-operative telephone interview, and also arrive on the day of surgery, the surgical care team will verify your current medications and the last time you took them. This is important to help prevent drug interactions with anesthesia medications or other medications given during surgery. Please be prepared to provide the following information: Allergies or reactions to medications. Pharmacy and phone number where you get your prescriptions filled. Current prescribed medications, dose, route, frequency and duration, if you are on antibiotics. It may be helpful to read directly from the prescription or pill bottle to provide the interviewer with the most accurate information. Current non-prescription, over-the-counter medications. Current dietary supplements/vitamins/minerals/herbal medications.This includes inhalers/patches/ topical/eye/ear/nasal medications. After Surgery Anesthesia Care Day Before Surgery Infection Prevention Surgery Day Patient Equipment/Supplies CPAP machines. Whether you are having an outpatient procedure or being admitted to the hospital after surgery, please bring your at home respiratory devices with you to the hospital. Ventilation supplies. If you have an alternate airway, such as a tracheostomy, please bring all at home care supplies you normally use for your daily care. Enteral tube feeding supplies. If you have specific tubing or feeding supplies for yourself or your child (g-tube adaptors, portable feeding pumps or syringes), please bring them on the day of surgery. If HSHS St. John’s Hospital has the supplies for your equipment we will not expect you to use your home supplies, but in case we don’t have what you specifically use it is always a good idea to bring your preferred items.