Surgery Guide

Before Your Surgery

You may be asked to visit Boone Health’s admissions department within seven days before your scheduled surgery. During this visit, a nurse will take your medical history, and you may undergo tests ordered by your physician. Please bring a detailed list of your medications and dosages, including over the counter medications and supplements.

Please bring a detailed list of your medications, including over the counter medications, and dosages with you.

Admissions is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you have questions, call admissions at 573.815.3872.

A Boone Health surgery admissions nurse or your physician will contact you on the day before your surgery and let you know what time to check in. If you HAVE NOT been contacted by 4 p.m. of the business day before your surgery, please call our surgery department at 573.815.6402.

During this phone call, you'll be provided the following information:

• when and where to check in for your surgery
• when to stop eating, drinking fluids and chewing gum
• which medications you should take the morning of your surgery
• contact lenses should not be worn (glasses are fine)
• wear comfortable clothing-easy to take off and put on
• current medications-bring a complete list of your medications and the dose of each
• refrain from smoking or chewing tobacco the day of surgery
• if you are having outpatient surgery, you are required to have a responsible person to drive you home and stay with you for 24 hours
• remove make-up, fingernail polish and jewelry
• leave valuables and jewelry at home; it is recommended that overnight patients leave their suitcase and other belongings in the car until they are taken to their room
• if you have an Advance Directive please bring a copy with you; information regarding Advance Directives is available at the admissions desk upon request as well as chaplaincy services

Specific questions regarding your surgery should be directed to your surgeon.

If your child is having surgery:

• Dress your child in comfortable clothes, like sleepers or pajamas
• Your child may bring a favorite item, like a blanket, pacifier or toy
• You may bring your child’s preferred bottle or cup
• You will be able to stay with your child before and after their surgery

Pre-Admissions Surgical Screening Form

Before your procedure, you will need to fill out our Pre-Admissions Surgical Screening Form. You can print the form here and fill it out prior to arriving at the hospital.

Pagers

For your convenience and privacy, you and your family will receive a pager when you check in at the surgery waiting room desk. This pager lights up and vibrates when you have updates, to keep your family members informed. Please visit the waiting room desk when your pager goes off. If no one is present at the desk, please call 6402 from our courtesy phone.

Pagers have limited range, so please let staff at the desk know if you will be leaving the waiting room area. Please return your pager to the surgery waiting room desk after the patient is discharged or transferred to a hospital room.

Pre-Operative Area

You will be escorted to a pre-operative bay and prepared for surgery. The staff will verify your consent for the procedure specified by your surgeon. Depending on the procedure, you may be asked to verify the surgical site and it will be marked by the staff or by your surgeon. You may be asked similar questions several times to ensure safety and prevention of errors. Once you are ready, two visitors may be allowed to visit prior to being transported to the operating room suite.

During Your Surgery

While you are in surgery, your family may wait in the waiting room or visit any of the following:

• Boonique Gifts
• Boone Appétit Cafe -- located in the main lobby
• Boone Cafeteria -- located on the second floor, near the bridge over Broadway
• Healing Garden

For the health and safety of our patients, no smoking (including e-cigarettes) or smokeless tobacco use is permitted at Boone Health or Broadway Medical Plaza. This includes outdoor seating areas, building entrances or parking garages.

After Your Surgery

After your surgery, you will be taken from the operating room to the Level 1 recovery area. For your privacy and safety, visitors are not allowed in this area. Recovery room nurses will inform your family when you arrive in the recovery, if you have any significant changes, and when you will be transferred from the recovery area to your room.

If you've had outpatient surgery, up to two visitors can join you once you're transferred to our Outpatient Level II recovery area.

Children are transferred from the operating room to Level II recovery to allow parents to be at their child’s bedside as early as possible.

As you recover from your surgery, a nurse will assist you with sitting up in bed, drinking clear liquids, and/or walking a short distance. If you can perform these tasks with minimal difficulty, your nurse will review your discharge instructions, including follow-up appointments or therapy, and how to properly take medications after your surgery. You may need to take a new prescription after your surgery.

Going Home

A reliable adult should drive you home and stay with you for the first 24 hours.

Within two days after your discharge, a nurse will call you to ask how you’re feeling and if you’ve had any problems while recovering from surgery. Please let your nurse know if you have questions or concerns about your recovery. If you have problems before or after your follow-up call, please contact your surgeon.

Accommodations

If you or your family need to stay overnight in Columbia, a list of area hotels and motels is available at our admissions desk.

If we can do anything to make your stay with us more comfortable, please let any of our staff know. Thank you for choosing Boone!