During spine surgery

A preadmission appointment is important to complete before your spine surgery. During this appointment, you will:

• Review medicine you take with a nurse.
• Receive instructions to prepare you for surgery.
• Have a surgical history and physical exam by a provider.
• If needed, complete lab work or other testing such as an EKG.
• Meet with your surgery team. Come prepared to ask questions.
• Complete hospital registration, which takes about 10 minutes. A staff member from Revenue Cycle will go over insurance coverage and surgical costs. Please bring your insurance card to this appointment.

To help you recover safely, we recommend preparing your home ahead of time. Here's how:

• Choose the entrance to your home that will be easiest to use. If you have stairs, you may want to equip them with a handrail.
• Decide which pathways you will follow from room to room. Be sure they are clear of cords, rugs and other clutter. The path from your bedroom to the bathroom is most important.
• Arrange your kitchen for easy reaching after surgery. Put utensils, dishes and containers you are most likely to use between waist and shoulder height.
• Have access to a cellphone or cordless phone.
• Be sure your bed sheets are clean to prevent infection.
• Do not sleep with pets while your incision is healing.

At your appointment before surgery and upon being discharged, you will receive educational resources and other information from your care team to help you navigate a successful recovery. You also can learn more about spine surgery and what to expect by clicking the button below.

Learn more about spine surgery