Before

Prior to your surgery, your physician may require you to have some routine tests. These may include blood tests, urinalysis, x-rays or an electrocardiogram. Your test results contain important information your physician needs before surgery.

A pre-admission nurse will call you to arrange testing and obtain your health history. Surgery may be delayed or cancelled, if you are not able to go for testing.

A parent or legal representative must accompany a minor (under the age of 18) to his or her pre-admission testing appointment. Arrangements should be made for someone to take you home and stay with you at home after surgery.

If a nurse has not called you prior to your surgery date, please call:

• Roper Hospital & Roper St. Francis Medical Center - Berkeley
  (843) 402-1770
• Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital
  (843) 402-1425
• Roper St. Francis Pre-registration is available M-F from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
(843) 402-5100
• Roper West Ashley Surgery Center
  (843) 763-3763

If you are out of town and need information on local hotels, contact the Family Care Coordinator at (843) 724-2727.

One Day Before Surgery

Important Instructions:
• Unless instructed otherwise, do not eat or drink anything after midnight, the night before your surgery.
• No food, water, ice, coffee, candy, gum, or chewing tobacco
• No smoking after midnight
• No alcohol one day before surgery
• If you have a cold, fever, rash, infection or any other health-related problem, inform your physician as soon as possible before your scheduled surgery day.
• Follow any instructions given by your healthcare team about your medicines.

Advance Directives
If you have Advance Directives such as a Living Will or a Health Care Power of Attorney and you would like to have this on file at the hospital, please provide a copy during the admission process.

For additional information or if you have personal or religious needs, contact our Patient Representatives:

Roper Hospital: 843-724-2964 or 843-724-2965
Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital: 843-402-1194

Morning of Surgery
You will be asked to sign a consent form for your operation. This is a routine procedure and gives permission for the physician to perform your surgery.

An Anesthesiologist will discuss how the anesthesia will work and answer any questions you may have. The anesthesiologist is the perioperative physician ("peri-" meaning "all-around") who provides medical care to each patient throughout his or her surgical experience. This includes medically evaluating the patient before surgery (preoperative), consulting with the surgical team, providing anesthesia including pain control and support of life functions during surgery (intraoperative), supervising care after surgery (postoperative) and medically discharging the patient from the recovery unit.

You will be placed on a stretcher and taken to a holding area outside of the operating rooms. A nurse will start an IV in your arm to give you fluids and medicine through your veins as needed. You will be taken to the operating room.

What to Bring to the Hospital

• Photo ID
• Insurance Card
• List of medications, dose, and frequency
• Wear loose-fitting clothing
  

If you are coming to the hospital for an inpatient procedure which means you will be admitted to the hospital after surgery, be sure to bring:

• Robe and slippers
• Personal items, toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, etc.
• Cases for contact lenses, dentures, glasses, and hearing aids (To prevent the loss of glasses, contacts, dental devises and hearing aids, please give them to a family member. The hospital staff cannot be responsible for lost items.)
• Personal items, toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, etc.
• Leave overnight bags in the car until a room has been assigned.

Please do not bring:

• Valuables such as cash, jewelry, credit cards and checkbooks
• Personal items, toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, etc.
• Do not wear perfume, makeup nor nail polish

Insurance Coverage
Your surgeon, anesthesiologist, radiologist and pathologist will bill your insurance company or you separately.

If you are a member of a managed care network, please make sure that your physician and anesthesiologist are members of the managed care network.

If you have questions regarding your surgeon's participation in a particular provider network, please call your surgeon. If you have questions regarding anesthesia services call:

Roper Hospital and Roper West Ashley Surgery Center: 843-724-2735
Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital: 843-402-1436

A pre-registration representative from Roper St. Francis Healthcare will discuss your insurance coverage and co-pay expected at the time of service. If you do not have insurance, financial arrangements can be discussed at this time. Our Anesthesia Groups accept the same insurance providers as Roper St. Francis Healthcare. For questions or inquiries (price quotes for self-pay) please call 843-402-5100.

If you have any questions concerning your bill, please call our Patient Customer Service Office at 843-402-5200.

A nurse or pre-registration representative will give instructions as to when and where to report for surgery.