What to Expect
Your Patient Information
Everything you need before your procedure — how to prepare, what to bring, what happens on the day, and how we follow up once you are home.
Everything you need before your procedure — how to prepare, what to bring, what happens on the day, and how we follow up once you are home.
Please read the pre-operative instructions on this page as well as those provided by your surgeon, and follow them carefully.
If you experience any changes in your health between your last office visit and your scheduled surgery, please notify your physician. Examples of changes in health include a cold, cough or fever.
Verification of insurance coverage and payment arrangements must be taken care of a week before your scheduled surgery, unless otherwise discussed with the center's patient accounts administrator. See insurance and payment.
When you arrive at the center, please check in at the reception desk. Our patient communications coordinator will ask for your signature on the necessary forms.
Next, your nurse will escort you to the waiting area where preparation for your procedure will occur. Once in the room, a brief health history will be taken, as well as your vital signs — blood pressure, pulse, temperature, pulse oximeter and breathing rate. Any questions for the nurse or surgeon may be answered at this time.
Your nurse will then escort you to the changing room, where you will be asked to change into a gown, surgical cap and surgical booties, and then to the operating room. Once you are in the operating room you will receive your anesthetic and your procedure will begin. The amount of time spent in surgery depends upon your type of procedure.
Your family and friends are a very important part of your care.
For this reason, we ask them to remain within or near the lobby. If for any reason they need to leave the building, they should notify personnel at the front reception desk. Your surgeon will update your family on your progress immediately after surgery is finished.
After your surgery you will be escorted to the recovery room by your nurse, who will observe you while the effects of your anesthetic diminish. You will spend approximately 30 to 60 minutes in recovery.
Once you are feeling more alert, your nurse will review discharge instructions with you and your family member or friend. When your surgeon has determined you are ready to go home, you will be safely escorted by a nurse and your friend or family member to your vehicle. If you have any additional questions or concerns, feel free to contact your surgeon or the center.
Be sure to schedule a postoperative follow-up appointment with your surgeon. Once you return home, it is very important that you follow the directions indicated on the Soma Surgery Center Post-op Instructions sheet, as well as any additional instructions provided by your surgeon. If you have any questions regarding these instructions, please contact your surgeon directly.
If you have given us permission, we will attempt to contact you by phone within 24 to 72 hours after your surgery, to see how you are feeling and to address any questions or concerns. We want to make sure that your recovery progresses well and that you are completely satisfied with our services. If we are unable to reach you by phone, please do not hesitate to call us with comments or suggestions about your care at Soma Surgery Center.
A Patient Satisfaction Survey is included with the postoperative instructions we send home with you. We sincerely value your input and appreciate any feedback that will allow us to improve our services.
On the day of your surgery you will be asked to fill out a few forms. These notify us about any allergies you might have, any medical conditions, and any other information that may help us serve you better.
On the day of your surgery you might be a bit anxious, and you may not have the desire to fill out these questionnaires. We suggest you complete them beforehand to help speed up your check-in process. You can fax them, e-mail them, or bring them on the day of your surgery.
The forms, where to send them, and what an advance directive means are all on the patient registration page.
Soma Surgery Center has an onsite dedicated patient accounts administrator available to provide assistance regarding your account.
We will submit your claim to your insurance company the same day your procedure is performed. You may receive a check made out to your name from your insurance company for your services. This check must be presented to the center's patient accounts administrator within 5 business days, or you may be responsible for collection or court costs.
Prior to surgery, you may be responsible for payment of your deductible, co-payment and co-insurance payment, as determined by your insurance provider. Since your insurance contract is an agreement between you and the insurance company, any unpaid balance remains the responsibility of the patient, or the person who signs for financial responsibility of the account.
Soma Surgery Center is a participating Medicare provider. We will file charges for services rendered to Medicare, and also bill all supplemental insurance. Medicare patients are responsible for the co-payments and deductible amounts not paid by a supplemental insurance.
You may pay by cash, check or credit card — Soma Surgery Center accepts all major credit cards. Total payment is required a week before the day of surgery, unless otherwise arranged with the patient accounts administrator, who is available to discuss your individual account.
You may receive other fees related to your surgery that are not part of the center's charges. These may include fees from the surgeon, the anesthesiologist and others.