What To Expect Before Your Surgery

Helping You Prepare for a Surgical Procedure 

The Pre-Admission Testing (PAT) Center, within the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), helps you prepare for surgery. Our care experts help you get into your best medical condition before surgery. They also tell you what you can expect before, during and after your surgery.

Call our Pre-Admission Testing Center at 617-667-6040 with any questions.

Preoperative Phone Call

The first step in your perioperative journey at BIDMC is a pre-op phone call from a PAT nurse. This call usually occurs 1-2 weeks before the scheduled surgery. It usually takes about 10 minutes to complete. The nurse will cover the following topics: 

• Confirm the type and date of the procedure to be performed 
• Ask in-depth questions about your medical history, including the medications you take, your allergies, previous surgery and anesthesia experiences, and any other medical topics relevant to you or your family. It is critical that you know the names and doses of any medications you take. We will also need to know the names and contact information of any doctors you see. 
• Instructions for the day of surgery, including: 
  
  • Any medications to take the day of surgery 
  • When you should stop eating and drinking 
  • How you will get home from surgery: You will need an adult to take you home after the procedure. This is critical and you will not be allowed to have surgery if you do not have an appropriate ride. 
  • A reminder to not bring valuables to the hospital 
• Special instruction for patients who need them: 
  
  • How to manage blood thinners 
  • What to do if you have a cold or other illness 
  • How to manage a bowel prep if you are having bowel surgery 
• Answer any questions you may have

PAT Visit

The second step in pre-op preparation is a PAT. While some patients can be prepared for surgery with only a phone call from a PAT nurse, about 35% of BIDMC surgery patients will be asked to come to PAT for an in-person appointment. Reasons you may need to come to the clinic include the following:

• If you need to have lab tests, an EKG, or X-rays completed
• If you have a complex medical history that needs additional review by an anesthesia provider
• If you need a pre-op history and physical

Some patients will also see a case manager or physical therapist in PAT. The visit to PAT generally lasts about an hour. During that time, you will likely see:

• A nurse
• A technician who will draw your blood or perform an EKG
• A nurse practitioner or anesthesiologist from the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine who will perform a history and physical exam

Our specialists will also talk to you about what to expect from the anesthesia. Again, it is very important that you know the names and doses of any medications you take, and the names and contact information for any doctors you see. The anesthesiologist in PAT will likely NOT be the one who takes care of you during your procedure. You will meet that team on the day of surgery.

Holding Area (Day of Surgery)

The final step in the pre-op process occurs in the holding area on the day of your surgery. You will meet a pre-op nurse who will check you in, confirm your procedure with you and review your medical history. You may also be seen by a nurse practitioner, who will place an IV and review your history.

Then you will be seen by the anesthesia team. This will always include an attending anesthesiologist. The team might also include an anesthesia resident or certified nurse anesthetist (CRNA). They will confirm your medical history, perform a brief physical exam, describe the anesthesia you will receive, obtain consent for the anesthesia and then place an IV and start the anesthesia process. From there, you will go to the operating room for your procedure.  

Learn what to expect on the day of your surgery and after your surgery.