Piedmont Athens Surgery FAQ

We understand you and your family will have questions prior to surgery. To help you prepare, please find answers to frequently asked questions below. Feel free to contact your doctor if you need more information.
 

How should I prepare for my surgery?

• Don't eat or drink after midnight the night before your surgery (including gum or mints).
• Don't smoke 24 hours before surgery. For the most successful surgery, patients should stop smoking completely.
• Do not wear make-up or nail polish.
• Do not wear contact lenses on the morning of surgery. If you must wear your lenses, bring a case with you.
• Take only the medications instructed by the anesthesiologist.
• Make arrangements for someone to drive you home and stay with you for 24 hours if you go home on the same day as your surgery. You should not drive for 24 hours after surgery.
• Don't make any legal decisions, and do not drink alcohol for 24 hours after surgery.
• Call Pre-Op Short Stay at 706-475-3499 the afternoon before your surgery to receive a time to come in the next day.

What should I expect during my Pre-Op Visit?

Your doctor's office will schedule your pre-operative evaluation prior to your surgery. It's important you arrive at the Talmadge Tower Registration Desk (if your surgery is scheduled at the main hospital) or the Outpatient Surgery Center (if your surgery is scheduled at the OPSC) at your scheduled appointment time.

If you need to change your Pre-Operative Evaluation time, please call your physician's office or Piedmont Athens Regional at 706-475-7678.

Bring the following with you to your pre-op visit:

• Copies of insurance cards/claim forms
• Living will/advanced directive (if applicable or not already on file)
• All paperwork from your doctor
• The name and contact information for your emergency contact
• Current medications (please bring the bottles of all of your medicines, including over-the-counter and dietary supplements)
• A list of your previous surgeries, including the name of the procedure and the date and place 
• Copies of lab reports, EKGs and chest X-rays, if completed in the past six months

During your pre-operative evaluation, you will:

• Register and get detailed instructions
• Have any diagnostic testing (labs, EKGs, X-rays) performed as ordered
• Have your complete medical history taken
• Be evaluated by an anesthesia provider
• Be given a chance to voice any of your questions

You may eat and drink as you normally would prior to your pre-operative evaluation. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes for your appointment. Plan for your evaluation to take approximately two to three hours.

What can I expect during the day of my surgery?

On the day of your surgery, you should report to Pre-Op Short Stay (POSS) at the time you've been given. When it's time for you to get ready for your surgery, you will:

• Be asked to empty your bladder
• Have your vital signs checked
• Have an IV started and medications given.

After all this is done, two family members can stay with you until surgery. When you enter the operating room, you will be placed on monitors so we can check your vital signs during surgery. You will then be given anesthesia.

What can I expect after my surgery?

After your surgery, you'll wake up in the Recovery Room. You'll be monitored closely, with pain medicine provided as needed. When it's safe to do so, you will be released from the Recovery Room and guided to a patient room or to Pre-Op Short Stay (POSS) to join friends and family and complete your recovery.

Before you're sent home, all of your instructions will be explained. You will have to be able to tolerate fluids without nausea, get yourself dressed and may be required to use the bathroom before you leave.

We want you to be as comfortable and confident as possible after your procedure. Call us at 706-475-3303 with any questions or concerns.