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FAQs - Surgery Patients

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How long will I be in the hospital?

The length of your stay will depend on the type of surgery you're having.  Patients having laparoscopic surgery, including DaVinci robotic surgery, will usually go home within 24 hours of the operation.  Patients requiring a larger incision will usually be admitted for several days.

Who will call my insurance company to authorize the surgery?

Our office will call your insurance company for authorization prior to surgery.

What should I know about my pre-testing?

Pretesting appointments usually take place 1-3 weeks prior to surgery.

  • The appointment will take approximately 2 hours.
  • You should bring insurance cards and medication lists.
  • You will have blood work, an EKG, a chest x-ray, and a consult with anesthesia

What should I know about bowel prep?

The purpose of the bowel prep is to clean out the intestines before surgery.  You will receive a  prescription for a bowel prep kit that can be obtained at your local pharmacy.

  • You may have a light breakfast and lunch the day before the surgery.
  • Start taking the prep medications at 1:00 pm the day before your surgery.
  • Follow the instructions on the kit.
  • You should continue to drink clear liquids for the rest of the day.
  • Do not eat or drink anything after midnight.
  • If your surgery is in the late  afternoon, you may have clear liquids until 8 hours before surgery.

What should I bring to the hospital?

Please bring the following items:

  • Insurance cards
  • Medication list
  • Comfortable clothes to wear home
  • CPAP machine if you use one
  • Copy of Health Care Proxy/Living Will
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