St. Mary's Hospital - Decatur Services Surgery Surgery Patient Information

Surgery Patient Information

Before Your Surgery 

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. Mary’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 HERE. You may also pre-register by phone by calling (217) 535-3797.

Surgery Day

At the Hospital

Learn More

At HSHS St. Mary’s, your care does not end when you return home after your surgery. A registered nurse from the surgery team will call you within 24 hours to ensure you are progressing as planned.

If you require specialized nursing care at home, HSHS Home Care is located conveniently on the St. Mary’s Hospital campus. Compassionate and trained nursing staff will work with your doctor to deliver the exceptional care you expect from St. Mary’s right in your home. Home health also offers a home cardiopulmonary rehabilitation service. 

St. Mary’s has physical and occupational rehabilitative services to help you return to optimal functioning after your surgery. In 2008, St. Mary’s opened an inpatient rehabilitation facility that offers intensive, inpatient rehab services for those who need them. Previously, Decatur residents had to travel to Springfield or Champaign for such services.

St. Mary’s also provides day care services for adults through a unique partnership with the Decatur Day Care Center on campus. For more information, call 217-422-2044.

Surgery Patient Information

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.

  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. Mary’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.