Patients Served
The Pre-Admission Clinic provides a pre-operative assessment for patients (adults and children) requiring surgery.
Overview
The purpose of a visit to the Pre-Admission Clinic is to ensure patients are well prepared for their surgery or procedure. The Pre-Admission clinic provides an opportunity to improve patient care, enhance patient flow, facilitate the education of patients and health care personnel, and capture patient events between the surgeon's office and the day of surgery.
Patient appointments are booked by the Central Booking department (ext. 4907) before an operation or procedure. In some cases this booking may be a day, a week or a month before the date of the operation. The pre-admission clinic visit will take from one to three hours depending on the type of preparation required. Any required blood tests, cardiograms or X-rays may be done at this time or sometimes a second appointment is necessary. As well, patients will receive education about their surgery and are encouraged to bring a family member or friend to the appointment.
Your visit to the Pre-Admission Clinic
At the clinic patients may experience any number of the following activities:
- The nurse will ask the patient questions about their health.
- Teaching about the operation or procedure, what will happen and what are the important things patients need to know.
- Discuss the care that the patient will experience before and during hospitalization.
- Instructions regarding medication (if any) and its use before surgery.
- Blood tests, x-rays or electrocardiogram.
- Consultation with a medical specialist such as an anesthetist or internist.
- Consultation with the blood conservation coordinator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do patients go when they arrive?
Patient Registration is located in the Ambulatory Care section, Level 200. We ask that patients arrive 30 minutes before their booked appointment and report to Patient Registration. Once a patient has been registered, the clerk will provide the information and directions needed to proceed.
Why do patients need to come to the clinic?
This is our chance to learn more about the patient and their medical history. We want to make sure patients are safe and comfortable during and after surgery. We will ask questions about a patient's general health. Along with all medications ordered by their doctor, patients should also bring any pills, vitamins etc. that they may buy ‘over the counter’ at a store. Please bring them in their original bottles or containers. This is the patient's chance to ask questions and to talk over any concerns they may have about their surgery. It is a good idea to bring a family member or a friend for this visit.
What is an anesthesiologist?
An anesthesiologist is a doctor who is trained to give anesthetic medications to make sure patients feel no pain during surgery. There are several ways of making this possible. The anesthesia chosen is based on factors such as physical condition, the types of medications you are taking, the nature of the surgery and your reactions to medications. You will receive one of the following anesthetics:
- Nerve block- A nerve block ‘freezes’ only the nerves to one area of the body. It is usually done together with either a general anesthetic or a spinal anesthetic. Sometimes a nerve block will be the only anesthetic a patient will need. A nerve block can also help control pain after surgery.
- Spinal anesthetic- A spinal anesthetic can be used instead of general anesthetic. It makes the body numb from the waist to the toes. It is very safe and useful if patients are receiving surgery in on their hip, leg or lower body. Patients will feel NO pain during surgery. Medication to keep patients relaxed will often be given in addition to the spinal and patients may doze off while the surgery is being done. The numbness will last for one to two hours after surgery.
- General anesthetic- A general anesthetic, more commonly known as “going to sleep”, happens when the anesthetist gives you medicines that make you unconscious. Medications are given to keep you asleep through an intravenous into your arm or with gas that goes into your lungs. While you are unconscious, a breathing tube will be put into your windpipe, or a soft airway behind your tongue to assist your breathing during your surgery. When surgery is finished, the tube is removed while you are coming out of the anesthetic. Most patients do not remember having this breathing tube in. Patients will have the opportunity to speak to the anesthetist on the day of surgery.
Additional Information
Please bring your Ontario Health Card with you. Please also bring your completed package and all medications in original containers.