Please note:Your surgeon’s office may provide you with other materials with instructions.
If any instructions in these materials differ from the information provided
here, the instructions in the other materials should take priority.
Getting Ready for Surgery
Preadmission Testing
General Information
Preadmission testing (PAT) is an important part of the care you will receive
for your surgical visit and we want to provide you with the best care
possible. The goal of the PAT interview is to have you safely prepared
for your surgical visit and to identify potential risks you may have before
you arrive for surgery. You will be asked many questions about your health
and medical history as well as given a lot of information and education
regarding your surgical visit. It may be helpful to have someone with
you who can help you ask and answer questions and remember the information provided.
Appointment Time and Location
The PAT department is located in the Archbold Ambulatory Care Center at
947 S. Broad Street, Thomasville, GA. Your surgeon’s office will
make your PAT appointment for you and notify you of the date and time.
You should note that you may have a pre-operative appointment at your
surgeon’s office as well, which may or may not be the same day.
Check with your surgeon’s office to be sure. Please allow 1-2 hours
to complete your PAT interview and testing. The amount of time you spend
at this appointment will depend on your type of surgery, health history
and tests ordered.
Before your PAT appointment, you can eat and take all medications as usual,
unless your surgeon gives you different instructions.
What to Bring
Medical/Health History
List of previous surgeries
Complete list of all medications currently taking, including herbals and
over the counter medications
Pacemaker cards
Stent cards
Insurance cards
Photo I.D.
Health care proxy/Advance directive/Living will
A list of any questions you may have
During Your Visit
Some of the services you may have during your visit include:
Interview with a registered nurse
Pre-operative education
Pre-operative instructions
Blood and/or urine tests
EKG
Chest x-ray
Consultation with anesthesiologist (depending on your age, health history,
procedure)
Preoperative Checklist
You will receive a phone call the day before your surgery with an arrival
time for surgery. If you have not received a call before 6:00 pm call
229-228-2765 to receive your arrival time.
Do not eat or drink anything and do not smoke after midnight the night
before your surgery
If you have been instructed to take medication the day of surgery, take
them with a small sip of water
Follow any special preoperative preparatory instructions given by your surgeon
Leave all valuables at home
Remove all jewelry and body piercings
Wear loose comfortable clothing
Follow your Preoperative Bath Instructions if you were instructed to do so
For patients having outpatient surgery, you must have an adult available
to drive you home and stay with for 24 hours.
If you develop a cold, fever or other illness prior to your procedure,
contact your surgeon’s office. Your surgery may need to be rescheduled.
Please use the driving directions located on our convenient
Hospitals & Locations page.
Visitor parking is located in the main parking area in the front of Archbold
Memorial Hospital. There is also visitor parking located in the East Tower
lot at the corner of Mimosa Drive and Pastime Drive.
Checking in at Archbold Memorial Hospital
The day of surgery, patients may be conveniently dropped off under a covered
area at the front door of Archbold Memorial Hospital. Once inside the
main lobby, registration is located directly behind the information desk
centrally located in the main lobby.
Planning Ahead for Your Discharge from the Hospital
Most of our patients are able to return home after discharge. Some, however,
may require help at home or need to be transferred to another facility,
such as a swing bed facility or skilled nursing facility. Your care team
will review your needs while you are in the hospital to make sure that
you are recovering and well enough to be discharged. It is important that
you tell your doctor or nurse of any concerns you have about your discharge.
The more you and your family are involved in planning for your discharge,
the more ready you will be when it is time for you to leave the hospital.
Family Waiting Areas
Surgery Waiting: Family and visitors can wait for their loved ones in the
surgical waiting area located on the second floor of the North Tower.
Take the North Tower elevators to the second floor and the waiting area
is located to the right.
Progress Updates
Our goal in the surgery waiting room is to keep your family and friends
updated on the status of your surgery. Please ask your family to tell
the attendant in the waiting area where they will be waiting, so the surgeon
or nurse can give them information on your status during and after your surgery.
Food
Food and drink are allowed in the waiting areas only. Vending machines
are located in the surgical waiting area. Our snack shop is located on
the second floor of the West Tower and our full-service cafeteria is located
on the bottom floor of the hospital.
After Your Surgery or Procedure
Your surgeon will provide you with instructions to follow at home. Please
follow them carefully to assure a smooth recovery. Here are some general
guidelines:
Never drive an automobile, operate dangerous machinery, or undertake any
responsible business matters on the same day as your surgery or procedure.
You will be able to shower but not bathe. If you have drains or open wounds,
you may need to take sponge baths initially.
You should avoid any heavy lifting. Your surgeon's office can provide a
weight limit.
You will be assigned exercises designed to speed your recovery.
Notify your surgeon's office immediately if you experience any bleeding
or drainage from the operative site, have unusual redness or pain, or
start running a temperature higher than 101°. Be on the lookout for
other "danger signals" to which your surgeon may alert you.
Your surgeon or nurse will schedule a return visit to the outpatient clinic
so they can check your progress after surgery and confirm that you are
healing well. Arrange to have a responsible adult escort you to your first
post-op visit.
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