Registration for Surgical Procedures

All surgical procedures at CPMC (except emergency surgery) require pre-admission, registration and a nurse screening.

Pre-Registration

Please call the Patient Access Center at 855-398-1637 about one to two weeks before your procedure to speak with a Patient Access representative. Please be sure to have your insurance card information ready when you begin. The Patient Access Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

During your initial screening, a nurse will take a brief medical history and check your blood pressure, body temperature and pulse to ensure that there are no contraindications to surgery. She or he also will review the admission process with you for the day of your surgery.

Admission to the Hospital

Please arrive one to two hours prior to your scheduled surgery time and check in with the admitting office or the surgery desk. The nursing staff will assign each patient a pre-surgery preparation room and the following will take place:

• You will receive a surgical gown to wear.
• Your personal belongings will be tagged and bagged.
• Your valuables will be placed in safekeeping.
• You will receive an arm-band with your name and medical record number.

Preparing for Surgery

Every surgery requires both psychological and physical preparation. Depending on your type of surgery, you may need to prepare in different ways, but the basic standards for physical preparation include:

• No eating or drinking anything within six hours of your surgery, test or procedure. This includes coffee, water, hard candy and chewing gum, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. You need to have an empty stomach in order to be sedated safely.
• No alcohol for 24 hours before surgery.
• No smoking before surgery.
• No medication of any kind unless approved by your surgeon.

Your Discharge Home

When it is time to leave the hospital, your attending physician will write a discharge order. 

The attending physician and discharge nurse will provide you with instructions regarding your post-hospital care, diet and activities. A friend, family member or private transportation service is required to take all patients home after a surgical procedure. 

Hospital staff will escort you and help you into the transportation vehicle. Discharge medication can be purchased at the outpatient pharmacy of the patient’s your choice.

Please call the Patient Access Center at 855-398-1637 about one to two weeks before your procedure to speak with a Patient Access representative.