Dedicated to Health and Wellbeing
Our medical team will do everything possible to make your surgery comfortable and pain free. We aim to help you recover quickly so you can return to what’s important in your life. We are also concerned about the people waiting for you, and will keep them informed about your progress.
To help you prepare and put your mind at ease, we offer an overview of your surgery day and recovery below. Please call us if we’ve left anything unanswered.
Required Pre-surgery Documents
Prior to your surgery, you are required to attest by signature that you have reviewed the following documents. To ease your day of surgery, please review them in advance.
Also for Your Convenience
Prepare for Surgery
- At your physician’s office, you will complete a medical history and sign your physician’s informed consent. (We will also ask you to sign surgical and anesthesia consents on your day of surgery.) Prior to your surgery, call your doctor if you have questions about your procedure, and if there is any change in your physical condition, such as a cold, cough or fever.
- Our nurse will call at least one day before your surgery to confirm your arrival time and answer questions about The Surgery Center. She will ask about your medical history, anesthesia experiences, and medications and supplements. Please tell the nurse if there is a possibility you’re pregnant. Call 910.887.2361 if you have not received our call by 4:00 PM the day before your surgery.
- You must arrange to have a responsible adult accompany you to the center, drive you home after surgery and stay with you for the first 24 hours. You will not be permitted to drive yourself home after discharge since you will be affected by the anesthesia and pain medications. Your companion may remain in the reception room during your procedure to receive updates and your surgeon’s report. (Parents of pediatric patients may remain with their child until surgery and rejoin their child in recovery.) For the first 24 hours at home, you must have a responsible adult stay with you to monitor your recovery.
- How long will your surgery take? For most procedures, you can expect to be at The Surgery Center 3 to 4 hours from admission to discharge. Check with your doctor about the specifics of your surgery.
At Home before Surgery
- The night before your surgery, do not eat or drink anything after midnight. You must have an empty stomach. Liquids or food in your stomach can cause serious (even fatal) respiratory complications. If you mistakenly consume any substances after midnight (other than what your doctor instructs), tell the nurse who admits you to surgery and the anesthesiologist before your surgery.
- Your doctor or our nurse will discuss the specifics of your medications and vitamins and give you instructions about what to take and not to take. If you have been instructed by our nurse to take your morning medications, take them with only a sip of water.
- Refrain from smoking for 12 hours before your procedure.
- To minimize the risk of infection, bathe or shower the night before or in the early morning.
On the Day of Surgery
- Dress for comfort and security. Wear loose fitting clothing that is easily removed and foldable. Wear flat shoes that are easy to put on and remove.
- Do not wear contact lenses. Wear your glasses, hearing aids and dentures—and bring their storage cases.
- Do not wear jewelry or piercings as they can cause skin irritations when exposed to the equipment in the surgery room.
- Leave valuables at home.
- Bring a list of all your medications or supplements (or their containers).
- Bring your health insurance card and required payment.
- Bring a picture ID. If your ID does not include your address, bring another proof of your physical address (not a PO box), such as a current utility bill.
- Bring all pre-surgery documents and consents you have completed.
Your Day of Surgery
For patients having a surgical procedure, please check in 30 minutes before your scheduled time. For pain medicine treatments, check in 30 minutes before your scheduled treatment.
At check-in, we will ask you to complete admission forms, show your picture ID with proof of address, and sign the surgery consent. We will ask for your insurance card and payment that may be your responsibility (cash, check, VISA or MasterCard accepted).
In pre-surgery, a nurse will ask you to change into a surgical gown and place your items for safekeeping in a belonging bag. She will help you get comfortable and place an ID on your wrist. She will review your medical history, medications and supplements, then start an intravenous line.
The anesthesiologist will visit with you in pre-surgery. He will assess your vital signs, lab results or tests, and ask more details about your health history, medications and experience with anesthesia. He will listen to your concerns and answer your questions. Finally, he will determine the type of anesthesia based on your procedure, medical history and your preferences, and ask you to sign the anesthesia consent. His goal: keeping you safe, comfortable and pain-free before, during and after surgery.
Types of Anesthesia
- Moderate Sedation (MAC): places patient in a relaxed, “twilight” state, as if asleep but still able to be aroused.
- Regional anesthesia: anesthetizes the part of the body to be treated, and often used in conjunction with MAC or general anesthesia.
- General anesthesia: places patient in an unconscious state during the surgery.
Before you are taken into surgery, your surgeon will visit with you to ensure you’re prepared, and mark the surgical site on your body.
In the operating room, your comfort and safety are our top priorities. When you first arrive, the lights may seem bright and the temperature cool. A nurse will be close at hand if you’d like an extra warm blanket, or have questions or concerns. Before beginning, we conduct a “time out” to confirm the procedure, and that instruments and equipment are in place.
Recovery after surgery: You will be moved to a recovery bay, monitored by a post-operative nurse and given medications for pain relief. Recovery time varies by patient and procedure, and usually lasts 1 hour. When you are medically cleared for discharge, the person waiting for you can rejoin you in recovery to review discharge instructions prepared for the specifics of your surgery.
Recovery at home: For the first 24 hours, there will be residual effect of the anesthesia. Rest under the observation of a responsible adult who can follow up on discharge orders and monitor your progress. If you take any additional oral pain medication, you will continue to feel sedated, even after the anesthesia has worn off. Don’t drive a vehicle or make important decisions. Don’t drink any alcohol as long as you are taking pain medication. If you experience any complications or adverse side effects, contact your doctor or call 911.
We will call you the next day to check how you are doing. Continue to rest until you are fully recovered, following your doctor’s instructions for return to routines and activities.
Here’s to your recovery, health and wellbeing!
Companions Waiting for You
We share your concern for family or friends waiting close at hand while you’re in surgery. Your companions can wait comfortably in the reception room, enjoying free WiFi, TV, complementary coffee, and snacks purchased from the pharmacy or vending machines. They can find more private seating in the building foyer, or walk the nature trail encircling the campus.
Our team will keep your companions informed about your progress and updated if the surgery takes longer than expected. Your surgeon will give them a report after the surgery.
When you and your nurse determine you’re ready for visitors, your companion can join you in recovery to receive verbal and written discharge instructions.
For the comfort of all our patients, we ask that you limit the number of people accompanying you to The Surgery Center. It is best to leave small children at home with a guardian.
Good Faith Estimate
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have
insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.
- You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
- Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
- If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
- Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059. https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
Insurance and Billing
Patients are responsible for payment of their procedure. We accept most major health insurance plans and offer in-network benefits for patients with out-of-network plans. Every insurance plan is different. For an estimate of what your insurance will cover and what will be your responsibility, please contact your insurance carrier directly. If you do not have insurance or need payment arrangements, we can connect you with a credit service.
Before your day of surgery, we verify your eligibility with your insurance carrier and get authorization. We call to give you an estimate of charges or co-pay you are required to pay at registration. Cash, personal checks, VISA and MasterCard will be accepted.
At registration on your day of surgery, we ask you to provide your photo ID, insurance card, address and phone—information that will be used for billing your insurance within several days following your procedure. Please inform us if there are any changes to your address, employer or insurance, to avoid billing discrepancies that could end up with a collection agency.
After we receive your insurance payment, we will issue a bill from The Surgery Center at Southeastern Health Park for the patient responsibility indicated on your explanation of benefits from your insurance carrier. The Surgery Center fees include the cost of the facility usage, medical supplies, medication, staffing and recovery time. Your doctor will send you a separate bill for the surgical procedure.
You may also receive bills for the following: anesthesia treatment provided by the anesthesiologist, biopsy or lesion removal from the pathology lab, tests performed by the lab.
Out-of-Network Insurance Coverage
The Surgery Center is out-of-network with UHC, Galaxy, WellPath, First Health and SouthCare PPO . We will bill these carriers on your behalf for your procedure, and expect the following to occur:
- Once your claim is processed, your insurance carrier will send you an explanation of benefits form along with a check for payment of the services provided. The procedure(s) performed will be processed by your carrier according to the out-of-network benefits stated by your health plan. The Surgery Center will not receive any payments or a copy of the explanation of benefits.
- Once you receive the explanation of benefits and check, you are required to send payment to The Surgery Center in either of the following 2 ways:
- Signing over the insurance check to The Surgery Center at Southeastern Health park and sending it along with the explanation of benefits, or
- Sending a personal check payable to The Surgery Center at Southeastern Health Park for the amount paid by your insurance along with the explanation of benefits.
- If you have secondary insurance, it is important that you include a copy of the explanation of benefits when you send us payment. We will not be able to bill the secondary insurance on your behalf without a copy of your primary insurance explanation of benefits.
- If you do not have secondary insurance, do not send payment for the patient responsibility indicated on the explanation of benefits. We will bill you after determining your final balance according to your in-network co-insurance and deductible.
We will work with you fairly and responsibly regarding your account balance. For more details or questions regarding your account, billing or insurance matters, please call our business office manager at 910.887.2361.
