Before Surgery
Learn what to expect before you have surgery at LMH Health in Lawrence, Kansas. Enjoy the best possible care and outcome when you follow your doctor’s instructions on preparing for your procedure.
At LMH, we want your experience to be as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Knowing what to expect before you arrive helps ease your mind about your upcoming surgery. The following information will help you and your family prepare.
Before Your Procedure
After you and your physician decide surgery is your best option, you’ll get information on how to prepare for your surgery. Once you schedule your procedure, you’ll receive a call from the pre-operative nurse one to two weeks before your procedure to:
- Review medications
- Discuss your health history
- Schedule any additional testing or appointments
Safety Tips for Surgery
To improve your overall safety before and after surgery:
- Meet with your surgeon before surgery to discuss ways to lower your risk of infection and review your medications, allergies, and medical conditions, such as diabetes or high blood sugar
- Ask your doctor if you should shower with special soap before your surgery to decrease your risk of infection
- Do not shave the area where you are having surgery. Rely on your surgical team to clip hair immediately before surgery to decrease the chance of skin infection
- Tell your anesthesia provider if you or a family member has had previous problems with anesthesia or if you’re allergic to latex, have sleep apnea or have trouble sleeping
- Ask for blankets to stay warm while waiting for surgery and recovering; staying warm helps prevent infection
- Ask your nurse or physician if you will receive a prescription for an antibiotic after surgery
Pre-Registration
Once you have scheduled your procedure, an admissions representative will call you to complete your pre-registration.
Once you have pre-registered, the nurse will call to explain what to expect on the day of surgery and answer your questions.
Two Weeks Before Surgery
Stop taking herbal supplements, diet drugs like Metabolite, Meridia, Fastin, Phentermine, multivitamins, or any other product that contains these substances:
- Echinacea
- Ephedra
- Feverfew
- Garlic capsules
- Ginger
- Ginkgo Biloba
- Ginseng
- Kava Kava
- St. John’s Wort
Insurance Coverage
Expect someone from our Centralized Financial Clearance (CFC) team to contact your insurance company for prior authorization if required. You’ll receive a phone call from a CFC team member one to three days before surgery to review your demographic information, insurance benefits, and estimated out-of-pocket cost. You’ll be asked for payment at this time.
Contact your insurance to verify eligible benefits. Any delay in pre-operative testing or insurance approval may delay surgery.
Day Before Your Surgery
A nurse will call you the day or Friday before your surgery to:
- Confirm your surgery and arrival time
- Review your health history
- Confirm any allergies, especially difficulty with latex, rubber products, elastic, or balloons
- Provide instructions about eating, drinking, smoking, or vaping before the procedure
- Review your current medications, including the doses and time(s) you take them each day
- Give you specific instructions (tell the nurse if these instructions are different from those you received from your physician)
- Answer your questions about the procedure
Call us at 785-505-6268 if you do not receive a phone call from our pre-admissions nurse.
