Outpatient surgery, also known as day surgery, is surgery that does not require an overnight hospital stay. Outpatient surgery at Prescott Outpatient Surgical Center saves the patient both time and money without sacrificing the quality of care received.
Serving the Tri-City area since 1986, POSC allows patients to have elective surgery, spend minimal time recovering at the facility and then continue to recover in the comfort of their own homes – all in the same day. The center is a multi-specialty surgical facility, providing state-of-the-art ambulatory surgical care in a comfortable, convenient setting.
POSC facilities include four operating rooms, offering all methods of anesthesia. Each room is equipped with the latest surgical equipment, and all areas are equipped for complete patient monitoring and comfort.
Most surgical procedures are planned ahead of time. This allows for the parties involved – the patient, surgery center or hospital, surgeon and anesthesia provider, if needed – to prepare and plan before the surgery.
Advanced preparation, including financial, completion of information needed by doctors and the facility as well as physical preparation and planning for post-surgery can help everything go more seamlessly and reduce the possibility of last-minute problems or cancellation.
- Paperwork: This typically includes a medical history recap (similar to what doctors ask for at appointments), current medication list (to prevent things like bleeding during surgery as a result of blood thinners), privacy policies, advance directives/medical power of attorney, financial liability, etc. Patients with advance directives regarding transfusions, resuscitation, medical decision making, etc. must give copies to the facility if they want them adhered to. Medical history and medication information provides anesthesia providers information needed to provide safe and appropriate doses of medications.
- Pre-surgery preparation: At a minimum, patients will likely be asked to have no food or water prior to surgery. Depending on the procedure scheduled, there may be additional requirements. For instance, preparation for colonoscopies includes a cleansing of the digestive tract. This preparation is not particularly “fun,” but is extremely important. Non-compliance likely will result in the cancellation or rescheduling of the procedures.
- Instructions for post-surgery care: Patients are required to arrange for someone responsible to drive them home and spend 24 hours with the patient. POSC will not allow patients to drive themselves home or even take a cab if they do not have a responsible person with them. This has become a contentious point for some patients, but this is never compromised. In the end, it is for the patient’s safety.
- Financial planning: Every patient should know what their insurance pays and what their financial responsibility is. POSC always asks for the patient’s share before surgery. Since all procedures done at POSC are elective, there are some financing options available such as CareCredit. Increasingly, insurance plans have higher deductibles and maximum out of pocket amounts that are the responsibility of the patient.
- Plan for the unexpected: Surgery can run ahead of or behind schedule. Schedules are created based on historical average lengths of procedures. However, every procedure and every patient is different. If this happens and POSC staff is aware, patients are contacted and asked if they can either come in earlier or later than originally scheduled. Patients need to be patient when waiting for surgery. The anxiety of waiting should be offset with the confidence that the surgeon will always take the time needed for the patient to receive the highest care available. When waiting, this can be reassuring.
With proper planning and preparation, a “not-so-fun” day will go more smoothly and without problems. All surgeons at Prescott Outpatient Surgical Center are board-certified in their respective fields and partnered with Yavapai Regional Medical Center.
815 Ainsworth Drive, Prescott, Arizona 86301 928-778-9770 posc-az.com
