Read the following tips to help prepare for your hospital stay or same-day surgery at UPMC West Shore.
Preadmission testing (lab work, EKGs, x-rays, etc.) can be done on a walk-in basis at UPMC West Shore.
A parent or legal guardian must accompany all minors under 18 years of age. Do not fast unless instructed to do so by your surgeon. The last meal eaten before coming for preadmission testing should be low in fatty foods, milk, and milk products.
See page 26 of the book for locations for blood work.
Your pre-admission 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 West Shore.
Upon arrival, you will be asked to fill out a medical history form before any tests are done. Please bring the following items with you the day of your appointment:
During your visit, a nurse practitioner or physician assistant will:
Approximately one week prior to your surgery, a member of the preadmission department will call you to complete your preadmission medical history and obtain a list of your medications. If are taking a blood thinner or are on aspirin products, ibuprofen, Motrin, Plavix, or NSAIDS and you have not received instructions from your prescribing provider on when or if to discontinue prior to your surgery, please call them today to receive those instructions.
On the business day prior to your surgery, a member of the preadmission department will call you to provide your surgery time, arrival time to the hospital, and all final instructions. Please have the About Your Surgery booklet available when you receive this call.
If you have not been called by 4 p.m., please contact the hospital preadmission testing department. 717-960-3465 Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please note: the preadmission department is closed on holidays and weekends.
The night before your surgery, do not drink any alcoholic beverages. Patients should not have anything to eat or drink after midnight the night prior to surgery unless otherwise instructed on the preadmission call.
Do not smoke after midnight prior to your surgery or procedure.
In general, you can take all medications, including pain and acid reduction medications as well as beta-blockers, early in the morning of your surgery with a sip of water. There are some exceptions, so please discuss your list of medications during the preadmission call.
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:
View location, directions, and parking information for UPMC West Shore.
If your procedure is in the Short Procedure Unit inside UPMC West Shore, follow the blue signs to the main hospital entrance. Please be sure to go to the building at 1995 Technology Parkway, because there are other locations for surgery on the campus. We want you to get to the right place. Depending on where you park, you may have to walk down steps to the hospital entrance. Please enter the hospital at the large blue awning that says "UPMC West Shore.” Stop by the information desk for patient registration, then our staff will direct you to the Short Procedure Unit.
Learn more about what to expect during your stay and after your stay at UPMC West Shore.
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