Riverside Methodist Hospital

Riverside Outpatient Surgery

This information will provide an idea of what to expect before, during and after your surgery.

On this page

Scheduling

Important phone numbers

Testing

Before surgery

Day before surgery

What to bring to the hospital

Arriving at the hospital

Before and during surgery

Recovery

Convenient parking

Overnight accommodations

Scheduling

Your surgeon will schedule your surgery for you. Please call your surgeon's office the day before your surgery to find out what time to arrive at the hospital. Registration will call you to pre-register you after your surgeon's office has called the hospital to schedule your surgery.

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Important telephone numbers

Main Hospital
(614) 566-5000

Patient Relations
(614) 566-5708

Pastoral Care
(614) 566-5307

Social Services
(614) 566-5397

HotelCare
(614) 566-5397

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Testing

In order to serve you better, your surgeon will have you complete your pre-admission testing prior to your surgery date. You may have your pre-admission testing by your primary care physician or by the Riverside Methodist Hospital Pre-Admission Testing department, which is located in the Riverside Health Center.

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Before surgery

You will have a history and physical exam, and if ordered, lab work, a chest x-ray, and electrocardiogram (EKG). This may be done at Riverside Pre-Admission Testing by your primary care physician.
You will receive a phone call from a Riverside nurse who will ask you questions about medicine you may be taking, heart problems, prior surgeries, etc.
If you are in doubt what medicine to take on the day of your surgery, please call your doctor.
If you develop any abnormal symptoms (cold, sore throat, fever, etc.), call your surgeon, as it may be necessary to postpone your surgery.
Arrange for a responsible adult to drive you to and from the hospital and to stay with you for the first 24 hours after surgery. Outpatient surgery patients will not be permitted to drive after surgery.
Make sure to bring a list of the medicine you are taking and copies of any test results done within the last two years to your Pre-Admission Testing (PAT) appointment.
If you want a visit from your clergy on the day of your surgery, please contact them and let them know your surgery date. There is limited time on the day of surgery, and it is helpful to conduct religious rituals before coming to the hospital when possible.

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The day before your surgery

DO NOT eat or drink anything (called NPO) after midnight the night before surgery. This means no water, food, liquid, gum, mints or hard candy.
You may brush your teeth, but try to avoid swallowing any water or toothpaste.
Do not smoke, chew tobacco or drink alcohol for 24 hours before surgery.
Bathe or shower the night before or early on the day of surgery.
DAY OF SURGERY: Take your morning pills with sips of water only, unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

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What to bring to the hospital

Your health insurance information (e.g. Medicare, private coverage) including a phone
number for private policies and a photo I.D.
Please bring a credit card or cash to pay your co-pay. If you do not know the amount of your co-pay, please call your insurance company prior to surgery.
A copy of your advanced directive (Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for HealthCare), if you have them.
A list of the medicine you are taking. List the name of the medicine, the dose and how many times a day you take the medicine. You may bring your medicine in the original bottles (including over the counter medicines and herbals) with you to the hospital.
If you bring items such as a cane or walker, have the staff label it with your name.
Wear loose, comfortable clothes and non-skid shoes.
Eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids or dentures can be worn to the hospital. Bring the storage cases as your family will keep them during surgery. Partial denture plates should be kept at home.
DO NOT bring valuables (e.g. jewelry, billfold/wallet, large sums of money) to the hospital. We will tape your rings to your finger if they cannot be removed.

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Arriving at the hospital

Come to the hospital 90 minutes (1.5 hours) before your scheduled surgery time.
We encourage you to VALET PARK at the main entrance of the hospital. If you are going home the same day of your surgery, parking for the day is free. You will be given a parking pass after your procedure.
If you need a wheelchair, please tell the valet parking staff.
Follow the signs to the Surgery Family Waiting Room on the first floor.
Our Communication Liaison will greet you and your family in the waiting area and help you with registration.
The Communication Liaison will show your family where to wait during surgery and how to follow you through the surgery process with our tracking system.
If you have questions, ask any staff member or the staff at the Information Desks.

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Before and during surgery

You and ONE** adult (no children) support person will be personally escorted to the surgery pre-op area by our Communication Liaison. Other support persons or family members may wait in the Surgery Family Waiting Area.
**In respect of patient confidentiality.
An anesthesiologist will come and talk to you about your anesthesia.
A nurse will check your vital signs, check you in, get you ready for surgery and start an intravenous (IV) catheter.
The nurse may verify medical information and will confirm the place on your body that you are having surgery.
The nurse may also answer any questions you may have.
After the nurse and anesthesiologist have completed pre-surgery procedures, your clergyperson (if present) will be escorted to the pre-op area. We ask that his or her visit be brief in order to respect the confidentiality and to allow completion of last minute medical care.
Tell the staff if you have any concerns or discomforts.
When it is your time for surgery, you will be taken to the operating room. There will be a nurse with you during the entire procedure.
Your family member/support person can go to the Surgery Family Waiting Area on the first floor.
In most cases, you will not feel or remember anything during surgery.

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Recovery

When surgery is done, you will be taken to the recovery room (also called the Post Anesthesia Care Unit – PACU)
After the surgery, the nurses will watch you closely and monitor your condition.
As you wake up, we will try to make you as comfortable as possible.
When you are stable, you will be discharged to your assigned room or discharged with your adult support person to continue your recovery at home.
At the time of your discharge, you will get written instructions about your diet, activity, and pain medicine, follow-up and when to seek medical attention. Make sure you have a responsible adult to stay with you following surgery.
If you go home the same day: For the first 24 hours after anesthesia, do NOT drive, operate any equipment, sign important papers or make any major decisions.
It is normal to feel dizzy, drowsy or nauseated for several hours after surgery.
Outpatients only: The hospital staff will call you within 24 hours after surgery and check on you.

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Convenient parking

Valet Parking. We encourage our Same Day Surgery patients who are having an outpatient surgical procedure to use valet parking. Following your procedure, you will receive a parking pass for one car. To take advantage of this service, simply drive your vehicle to the main entrance of the hospital and a parking attendant will park your vehicle.
Parking Garages. We offer two parking garages for your convenience. One is located on the East side of the hospital campus near the North and South Medical Buildings, just off Olentangy River Road. The other is located in the Riverside Health Center, on the corner of Olentangy River Road and Thomas Lane.
Public Surface Lots. We offer two large public surface lots located on the South side of the hospital on West North Broadway.

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Overnight accommodations

Riverside HotelCare features special overnight accommodations and services for patients and their families at nearby hotels.

Read about the hotels participating in the program (PDF).

HotelCare services include: