FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
Your surgeon will send an up-to-date history and physical to us when your surgery is scheduled. If additional tests, EKG, or x-rays are needed, your surgeon will advise you where to have this done. If you need a cardiac clearance you will be advised by your surgeon to see your primary care practitioner or your cardiologist.
Some patients may choose to come to the Center before their surgery date to complete paperwork or make payments. We strongly recommend that you complete all preoperative documentation before the day of surgery. The required forms are available by clicking on the box labeled "Print and fill out your registration form ahead of time".
Yes. We strongly encourage you to have completed all the registration forms before the day of surgery. We prefer that you simply walk in the day of your surgery and are brought to the PreOP area rather than fill out pages of paperwork. For your convenience, we have the required forms available by clicking on the box labeled "Print and fill out your registration form ahead of time."
Please notify the surgeon and the Health Central Surgery Center Nurse's station at 407-253-2568 as early as possible if you cannot make your scheduled appointment. Early notification can help us better accommodate you and other patients.
Please wear comfortable clothing. Button-down shirts or blouses are best. Wear comfortable shoes, and bring socks as the Surgery Center can be cold. Leave all jewelry at home, including body-piercing jewelry. If you wear contact lenses, you will probably have to remove them for the surgery, so consider bringing your glasses. If you have to wear your contacts, please bring contact solution and contacts case. Please do not wear any make-up as this can hide certain clinical signs. Please remove all body piercing jewelry.
You refrain from eating and/or drinking prior to surgery in order to prevent the risks of aspirating gastric contents during your surgery. This complication is very serious and you need to strictly abide by our recommendations.
We have very clear policies as to specific times before surgery when you must refrain from eating and/or drinking. These are all based on safety standards.
We generally request that you take your medication before leaving home. Diabetic medications will be individualized. We will usually hold diabetic medicines and manage your sugar at the Center. You will be contacted before your surgery leaving regarding which medications you should take. Please bring all your medications with you, or a list of all of your medications. There is a space on your pre-registration form for all current medication to be listed. The form is available by clicking on the box labeled "Print and fill out your registration form ahead of time".
People using inhalers must bring them to the Center on the day of surgery.
Some medications will be stopped for the surgery, particularly diabetes medication and blood thinners. You should bring these medications with you the day of surgery. Please call us with any questions you may have.
Herbal medications may have harmful effects on the surgery. Many of these remedies may affect your clotting mechanism and interfere with the anesthetic agents. (The list of drugs and their side effects are too great for this site.) We generally request that you stop these medications two weeks before surgery. Please remember to mention these remedies when questioned about medication.
You are welcome to bring one person with you to the Center. That person will be allowed to sit with you after your PreOP nurse has started your IV and reviewed your past medical history and you have changed into your gown. In most cases the person waiting can be at your bedside after your surgery as long as you are awake and comfortable.
When a patient is a child often two parents and/or guardians will accompany him or her to the Center. We will do our best to accommodate everyone, however, only one parent and/or guardian will be permitted into the recovery room at a time.
Please refrain from bringing young children to the Center as guests. Children under the age of 18 are not permitted in the PreOp or Recovery areas.
We will individualize each patient's care.
Yes, we call each patient the day before the surgery to gather information, give an arrival time, and answer any of your questions. The nurse who contacts you will give you preoperative instructions. You may also call the Center directly with any questions. Preoperative instructions are also listed on this webpage.
Yes. You can comfortably take a shower, bathe, brush your teeth, (no drinking of water), etc. Please do not use make up, hair spray, nail polish or toiletries. These may interfere with the anesthesia monitoring and possibly hide clinical signs.
If you are not feeling well, please contact your surgeon immediately. During normal business hours, you can call the Center for advice. There are some surgeries which are safer if delayed when you are sick. We need to know specific details to make the decision. Please do not delay in contacting your surgeon or the Center.
This will not affect most surgical procedures. There are a few specific gynecological procedures which may be impacted by menstruation. Call us if you have any questions at (407) 253-2568.
It is very important for us to be aware of this possibility. Only essential surgery is done on pregnant patients. If there is any doubt please contact us immediately.
Any patient receiving anesthesia will not be allowed to drive home. A patient receiving IV sedation for a procedure must be driven home by a person at least 18 years of age. There must be a responsible adult when they arrive home who will care for the patient. Preferably, the caretaker at home will be the same person to receive homecare instructions and any other post procedure instructions. Patients will not be allowed to drive, walk home or take public transportation after sedation or anesthesia. Please make the appropriate arrangements.
All patients will be seen by the anesthesiologist on the day of surgery prior to entering the operating room. There will be sufficient time to answer any questions you may have. If you need to speak to the anesthesiologist before the day of surgery, you are welcome to call the Center and we will arrange for you speak with an anesthesiologist.
We will make every effort to accommodate any special need you may have. We strongly encourage you to call the Surgery Center in advance so that we can properly prepare to make you comfortable. Do not hesitate to call and suggest anything that may make your day easier.
Yes. Please bring any walkers, post-op crutches, hearing aids, etc.
- A case for eyeglasses or contacts
- Insurance identification cards, driver's license, completed billing forms, co-payments
- All medication
ALSO:
- Make sure you have a ride home and someone to care for you at home
- Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing
- Leave all jewelry and valuables at home
The management of your pain is of great importance to us. We will be assessing your level of pain from the time of admission until you receive our postoperative call at home. We need to inform and prepare you for each step of the process. This education will begin with our first contact. You will be repeatedly asked to rate your pain from a numerical scale called the Visual Analog Pain Scale. Using the results of our communication we will alter the therapy as needed in order to assure your comfort.
The management of your pain will be taken very seriously. We will often use a combination of different modalities to help make you comfortable, oral medications, intravenous medications, nerve blocks, injection of local anesthetic during the surgery, etc. Prior to surgery, the management of your pain should be discussed with both your anesthesiologist and surgeon. Please feel free to bring up any concerns or fears you may have. Remember that information on pain management gives you the appropriate expectations and hence a smoother, more comfortable recovery.
Removal of all jewelry, including body piercings, is necessary during surgery due to the risk of injury to the patient. Risks include, but are not limited to:
- Burning in the instance your surgeon would need to use a special instrument to stop bleeding during your surgery, i.e., bovie.
- Swelling due to constriction of blood flow or increased fluid intake during.
- Jewelry can get caught on things during positioning or transferring the patient to and from the operating room table.
- If jewelry has to be removed in the OR, the jewelry could be damaged or lost.
You will be given every opportunity to remove all jewelry and body piercings.
The Florida Surgical Care Initiative, or FSCI, is a collaboration of Florida's hospitals that focuses on preventing surgical complications and improving quality of care. The program is led by the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and its Florida chapter.
We are committed to providing our patients with the high-quality surgical care. By working together with hospitals across the state, we can better understand why complications occur and implement best practices to prevent them. In doing so, patients will have better outcomes, and we will reduce costs associated with treating complications, which can add thousands of dollars to the cost of care.
FSCI is designed to improve the quality of care for patients undergoing surgical procedures. While we constantly strive for perfection, complications do occur. When complications arise, it is important for us to report what happened and collaborate with other hospitals in Florida to identify new ways to prevent these complications from occurring.