Before You Arrive at UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Montefiore

Helping You Prepare for Your Hospital Stay or Same-Day Surgery

On this page:

• Preadmission Process
• Before Surgery at UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Montefiore
• The Day of Surgery

Preadmission Process

Your preadmission appointment may take up to 2 hours.

During your visit, our team will gather your medical history and conduct needed tests. We'll also answer your questions to help ease any concerns and ensure a safe stay at UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Montefiore.

Preadmission Testing Center Location and Hours

Location:

UPMC Montefiore, 5th Floor
1 Buffalo St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Phone: 412-692-4663
Fax: 412-692-4666

Lab testing hours:

Monday–Friday: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: Closed

We will validate your parking for a discounted rate during your visit.

What to bring to your preadmission visit

• Your medical and surgical history.
• List of all prescription and over-the-counter medications.
• List of all allergies.
• Names and telephone numbers of your current primary care doctor and other medical specialists involved in your health care.

What to expect during preadmission testing

During your visit, a nurse practitioner or physician assistant will:

• Examine you.
• Ask you questions about your health.
• Complete any tests your surgeon requires.

These tests may vary, based on your health and type of surgery, but may include:

• Vital signs
• Blood or urine tests
• EKGs
• Chest x-rays

A nurse practitioner will review your medical records and discuss any further tests, if needed.

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Before Surgery at UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Montefiore

A nurse will complete a phone assessment 24 hours before your surgery. Please have your list of medicines and medical history ready to discuss with the nurse.

Allow 30 minutes for the phone assessment.

The nurse will provide you with:

• Dietary instructions.
• What medicines to take the day of surgery.
• Any other information you need before your surgery.

The night before your surgery, do not drink any alcoholic beverages.

Preparing for same-day surgery

If you're having same-day surgery, you are already preregistered. You'll just need to report to the proper registration location in the hospital on the day of your procedure.

• View a booklet on Preparing for Safe Ambulatory Surgery at UPMC Presbyterian/Montefiore (PDF).

Advance directives

You may want to consider drafting an advance directive before your surgery or admission to the hospital, if you haven't already.

An advance directive is a written document that expresses your wishes for medical care if you become incompetent or incapacitated.

These include:

• Living wills
• Health care agents
• Powers of attorney

Learn more about advance directives in UPMC's general patient resources section.

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Day of Surgery

Please review the following guidelines for your day of surgery at UPMC Presbyterian or UPMC Montefiore:

1. If your doctor instructed you to take a medication, do so with a small sip of water.
2. Shower or bathe with Hibiclens^® or an antibacterial soap.
3. Do not apply hair spray, scented body lotion, or perfume.
4. Do not wear nail polish or makeup.
5. Remove all body piercings.
6. Wear loose comfortable clothing; button-down shirts are best.
7. Avoid candy or chewing gum the day of surgery.
8. Leave all valuables and jewelry — including watches, wedding rings, necklaces, and earrings — at home.
9. If you have sleep apnea, bring your CPAP machine with you.
10. If you wear glasses, contact lenses, dentures, or hearing aids, bring storage cases for them.

Please arrange for a responsible adult, over the age of 18, to:

• Drive you home after surgery.
• Assist you at home for the first 24 hours after surgery.

If you're scheduled for surgery at UPMC Montefiore Ambulatory Surgery (floor 6), free parking is available outside of the unit at 259 Darragh St.

When you arrive for surgery at UPMC Presbyterian or UPMC Montefiore

After a brief wait in the Family Lounge, a nurse will take you to a room to get ready.

Before you go to the pre-op holding room, your family or friend may rejoin you until it's time for surgery.

We try to keep your wait as short as possible. At times, there may be a delay if a surgery before yours takes longer than expected.

During your operation

During your operation, your family member or friend should sign in at the desk in the Family Lounge.

In or near the waiting rooms, your loved ones will find the following:

• Magazines
• Computers
• TV
• Restrooms
• Phones
• Vending machines

They also may go to other areas of the hospital, such as the cafeterias or gift shops.

A staff member will update your family or friend on how your surgery is going.

As soon as possible after the operation, the surgeon will talk with your family or friend about your surgery. He or she will explain what to expect in the next few days.

After your operation

After your operation:

• A member from the surgical team will take you to a recovery room, called the Post Anesthesia Care Unit or PACU (pronounced PACK-you).
• While you slowly wake up, the nursing staff will watch you closely.
• Once awake, a nurse will take you back to Ambulatory Surgery, where your family or friend can join you.

Your doctor and nurse will decide when you are ready to leave the hospital. Until then, you may not leave the hospital — no matter what kind of surgery you've had.

Once your care team discharges you, you must have an adult drive you home.

Some patients may need an overnight stay for extra care. We will admit these patients to UPMC Presbyterian or UPMC Montefiore.

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