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| Before Your Visit | Preparing for Surgery | What to Expect |

El Camino Surgery Center, LLC is committed to providing excellence in patient care. Our Mission states, "Patients will find their care is provided with compassion by competent professional staff. Their comfort and safety will be maintained in a positive, attractive atmosphere throughout all phases of their stay. Families and close friends are encouraged to take part in individualized care. The surgery center will provide a timely, accessible, cost-effective alternative for designated outpatient procedures and surgical care."

We will do all we can to make your or your family member's experience here as pleasant and comfortable as possible. The following information and instructions will inform and help you prepare for surgery.

Before Your Visit

How You Will Be Billed
We want to take the worry out of the cost of your treatment. The Surgery Center will receive information about your insurance coverage from your physician. You will be asked to bring your your verification of insurance (card) with you to the Surgery Center so we may verify that we have the correct billing information.

ECSC's Fees
Charges incurred from the Surgery Center will cover only what we do for you such as preparation for surgery, supplies and use of the operating and recovery rooms.

Your Physician's Fees
Your surgeon, anesthesiologist, pathologist and radiologist (if applicable) will bill you separately based on the services they have provided

Your Insurance Coverage
As a service to our customers we will bill your insurance company. If payment is not received within 60 days of billing, the customer will be responsible for the balance.

Special Finacial Needs
If you plan to pay cash, payments need to be made before or upon admission to the Surgery Center. We accept cash, checks, Visa and Mastercard. If necessary, special arrangements can be made. Cash arrangements for anesthesia professional services must also be paid prior to, or upon admission.

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Information About Your Care
Preparing for your surgery is very important. To reduce the risk of any complications during your surgery and to insure your comfort, please carefully follow the instructions below. In the event that these instructions are not followed, your surgery may be subject to cancellation.

Preoperative Phone Call
You may receive a phone call from a Registered Nurse (RN) 1-2 days prior to your surgery depending on the type of procedure scheduled. The nurse will ask you questions regarding your health history and verify the correct time of your surgery. You may ask the nurse any questions that you have. If you do not receive a phone call, you may call (650) 988-7997 8a.m. to 3p.m. for any questions related to your surgery.

What to bring with you
Please leave all valuables and jewelry at home. Wear simple loose clothing to ensure your comfort. You may bring reading material. Also, please bring your insurance card.

Changes in your Health
Please report any changes in your health to your surgeon, even minor changes such as a cough, cold or fever.

Food or Drink
DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING AFTER MIDNIGHT THE DAY BEFORE YOUR SURGERY (INCLUDING GUM OR MINTS). If your surgeon gave you different instructions please follow those orders.

Medications
Routine oral medications should be taken with a sip of water on the day of surgery. Please take heart medications and seizure medications. If you are a diabetic on either oral medications or Insulin, please consult your physician for instructions for the day of surgery. If you take Coumadin, your surgeon will give you instructions for taking that medication on the day of your surgery. Bring any inhaler you may use with you to the surgery center. Notify your physician if you are taking, herbs, vitamins or diet supplements and follow the instructions given to you.

Pregnancy
If you suspect you may be pregnant, please notify your surgeon immediately. Anesthesia and medications may be harmful to a developing fetus.

Transportation
You will need to have a driver on the day of surgery for the trip home and you should not stay alone after surgery. Transportation and personal arrangements should be made prior to coming to the surgery center. Please bring your driver's name and contact number so the nursing personnel may contact your driver if needed.
You will not be allowed to leave the surgery center unless you have an escort or transportation of some sort. You may not take a taxi home unless you have an escort.
If you need assistance with transportation, please call the surgery center at 650-961-1200.

Tours For Pediatric Patients
To ease the stress of surgery on your child, you may set up a tour of the surgery center. We recommend you allow your child to become familiar with the surroundings and equipment before the day of surgery. Adult patients who are interested in tours are also welcome to visit us prior to surgery. To set up a tour, please call 650-988-7997.

Visitors/Refreshments
For the privacy of patients, an adult may only have one visitor at the bedside. Pediatric patients may have two visitors at the bedside.
Refreshments are available at El Camino Hospital in the snack bar and cafeteria for visitors waiting.

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What to Expect on the Day of Surgery

Arrival
Parking information can be found on our Location page.

Registration Area
You will check in with the receptionist and hand her/him your health insurance card. Paperwork will be completed that initiates you medical record. Also, during the admitting process you will be given a copy of ECSC's Privacy Notice. We will ask you to sign an acknowledgment you received the notice. If you have received the notice been to previously another copy will not be distributed. To view our privacy notice please Click Here.

Preoperative Holding Area
You will be escorted to a changing area and will be asked to remove all clothing and jewelry, and a hospital gown will be given to you. You will then wait on a gurney or sit in a recliner. The nurse will take vital signs, do a nursing assessment, answer any questions and provide any instructions you may need at this time. If you require the care of an anesthesiologist they will speak with you before surgery in the Pre-operative area. The anesthesiologist will review your history, discuss the anesthesia plan, and answer all questions related to the type of anesthesia you will receive. Patients who are having only local anesthesia will not have an anesthesiologist on their case. After preparation for surgery is complete, a family member may sit with you until time for your surgery. Delays are rare but can happen. We appreciate your patience.

Staying With Your Child When They Are Having Surgery
Surgery may be freighting to your child. We encourage parents to stay with their child in the pre-operative area before their surgery. Parents will be allowed to join their child as soon as possible following their surgery.

Your Procedure
When it is time for your procedure, clinical staff will escort you by gurney to the operating room. Once in the operating room, you will either stay on the gurney or be assisted to another bed for your procedure. You will be monitored throughout your procedure and staff will ensure your privacy.

Recovery Room
Once your procedure is complete, you will be transferred to our Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (Recovery Room) for observation. The type of anesthesia you receive will determine your length of stay and overall postoperative course. The nursing staff will continuously monitor your vital signs and do all they can to keep you comfortable.

You and your escort will be given printed discharge instructions for your care at home. The staff will review the instructions that will include activity restrictions, diet, pain medicine, a follow-up with your physician and any adverse signs to watch for and to report to your surgeon. A prescription may or may not be given to you in the Recovery Room depending on your surgeon's orders. We will evaluate your readiness for discharge prior to sending you home.
Depending on the type of anesthesia you need, your stay in the recovery room can range from 15 minutes to a few hours. We will evaluate your readiness for discharge prior to sending you home. Our goal is to get you safely home as soon as possible where you'll be the most comfortable resting and recovering.

Overnight Care
Your surgeon may feel you need to stay overnight at the surgery center. Once a week we offer overnight observation for pre-scheduled patients. The following information applies to our patients who will be staying overnight:

• You will stay in the Recovery Room, but will be transferred to a hospital bed for the night.
  
• Family members may visit until 9 p.m. No visitors or family members are allowed to stay overnight.
  
• Family members are encouraged to bring in "light" food (i.e.: soup). The center only provides juice, 7-up, pudding, crackers, and Jell-O.
  
• One Registered Nurse and a Certified Nurse Assistant are with you throughout your stay.
  
• Bring a book and/or a video. A VCR is available.
  
• You will be discharged between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.
  
• You will be provided with postoperative instructions prior to discharge.