Preparing for Procedures

For your comfort and safety, there are several factors to keep in mind prior to surgery. Please remember, these can affect the success of you procedure. Unless otherwise instructed, the following instructions are required for anyone having surgery.

Check Your Insurance Coverage

Please be advised that you can receive several bills in conjunction with your visit at Carson Tahoe.

Physicians are NOT employees of the hospital and deliver independent services, including but not limited to: emergency or urgent care, obstetrics and gynecology, pathology, radiology, anesthesiology and surgery.

Since every insurance plan is different, it is very important to check your coverage and ask questions. You can contact your insurance plan directly, or contact your employer for more information.

Preparing for the Procedure

If you are having general, spinal, epidural, or other regional anesthetic you must strictly observe your time and date requirements of nothing to eat or drink. It is hazardous to have anesthesia and surgery with anything in your stomach. Surgery may be canceled or delayed if you have taken any food or fluid.

If you are having a local anesthetic, your surgeon will instruct you regarding eating and drinking limitations.

• Please do not wear jewelry. Remove all body piercings and leave at home.
• Please leave valuables at home, since surgery is not responsible for lost items.
• Please do not bring laptops or cell phones
• Your family member or friend is responsible for personal belongings until you get into a room. Rooms have a personal storage area.
• Friends and relatives may wait during your surgery.
• Please do not bring children as the waiting room area is limited in space.
• If you develop a cold, fever, persistent cough, or change in your condition during the week prior to your surgery, please notify your surgeon for treatment or referral.

Please arrive promptly for your scheduled appointment. At this time you will finalize admission procedures, sign consent forms, and have your pre-operative evaluation. If the patient is a minor, a parent or legal guardian must be present to sign all forms.

Please be sure to bring a list of your medications and I.D. cards for pacemakers/defibrillators.

For your convenience, please bring toilet articles with you to the hospital such as toothbrush/paste, deodorant, comb, brush, shaving supplies, and non-skid slippers.