Preparing for your Procedure or Surgery

For surgical cases do not eat or drink anything (including water, gum and mints) after midnight the night before your surgery, unless you are instructed to do otherwise. Undigested food in your stomach can cause serious complications.

If you are a diabetic or take medications for your heart or for other specific conditions, you will be given specific instructions what to do the day of your surgery.

You must bring with you a photo ID, insurance card, and a form of payment. Your procedure may be canceled if you forget.

Arrange for a responsible adult to accompany you to the Midwest Pain Management Center, to receive discharge instructions, drive you home and stay with you for the first 24 hours following your surgery. For your own safety and protection, you will not be allowed to drive a motor vehicle home. The only exception to this is for patients having a local anesthetic only (numbing medicine).

If you suspect that you are pregnant, please notify your doctor and our nursing and anesthesia personnel.

Please report to your doctor even minor changes in your health between your recent visit to your doctor and the day of your procedure, such as an elevated temperature, cough, or cold.

Leave all jewelry, cash and valuables at home or with the person accompanying you. We also suggest you wear casual, loose clothing. During your surgery you will wear a gown provided by the surgery center.

Refraining from smoking after midnight the night before your surgery will enhance your healing time.

Bathe or shower the morning of surgery to minimize the chance of infection. Brush your teeth but avoid swallowing the water.

Should you need reading glasses or contacts to read and sign documents, please bring the appropriate containers and/or soaking solutions with you.

Pain Management Procedures

If you are having a pain management procedure, we encourage, at most, a light meal two hours before your scheduled visit. You will need to arrive one hour before your first series of injections (your nurse will provide your arrival time after that).

If you have been scheduled for a pain management procedure and are taking blood thinners, please contact the admitting nurse at (816) 282-5370 before arriving for your procedure.

Day of Procedure or Surgery

Arrival

It is important that you arrive at the Midwest Pain Management Center one hour before your procedure unless you are instructed otherwise. Please remember to bring your photo ID, your insurance card and accepted method of payment for any money due at the time of registration.

What to Expect

You will be asked to sign a consent form, which verifies that you and your doctor have discussed the procedure or surgery to be performed as well as the associated risks.

During pre-admission, the pre-op assessment nurse will complete verification of the correct patient, correct procedure and correct operative site for surgery by:

  • Consulting with you and/or your representative
  • Confirming that your consent form is complete
  • Confirming "patient, procedure and site" with the physician's documentation

The staff will verify who you are, what kind of procedure or surgery you are having, and the expected part of the body on which the surgery is being performed, as well as double-checking what you tell them against the documents provided by your doctor's office (for example: X-rays).

Depending on the type of procedure or surgery you are having, the person performing your procedure will mark the correct location on your body where the procedure is to be performed.

This is called "site marking" and is a critical step to preventing errors.

The patient, family member or significant other will participate in the verification process prior to pre-op medication and sedation and anesthesia

Time Out – Once you are taken to the operating room, a "time out" will be completed by the surgical team before beginning your surgery to assure themselves that they are performing the correct procedure at the correct site and on the correct person.

After Your Procedure or Surgery

In the recovery room, you will be under close observation by the anesthesiologist and or the recovery room nurses. We encourage all of our doctors to talk to a family member/friend upon completion of your procedure and it is, therefore, important for this person to remain in the building.

Your physician will provide post-operative instructions and the Center will provide a written summary of these instructions.

If you had any anesthesia/pain medication, avoid the following for 24 hours:

  • Driving, operating vehicles/equipment/machinery
  • Signing important papers
  • Making important decisions
  • Drinking alcoholic beverages

Should you experience any unexpected complications or concerns, contact your surgeon or his/her designee. If you experience an emergency, call 911