Phone 610-568-3050 -- FAX 610-568-3020

Following is a description of your anesthesia care as it will be provided at the Reading Hospital SurgiCenter at Spring Ridge.

Prior to your surgery, you will receive a telephone call from one of the SurgiCenter nurses to go over your medical history and previous surgeries.

Your surgeon's office will give you instructions as to whether lab testing or an EKG are needed. They will also provide instructions as to which of your usual medications you should take on the morning of your operation. If you have any questions about your medications, please contact the SurgiCenter directly by calling 610-568-3050.

On the day of surgery, you will report to the receptionist at the SurgiCenter. You will then be registered as a patient and escorted to the pre-operative area.

In the pre-operative area, all patients will be interviewed by a SurgiCenter nurse and an anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist will also perform a limited physical exam and discuss the anesthesia plan. For more information about types of anesthesia, please click about anesthesia.

Before going to the operating room, most patients will have an IV started. For pediatric patients, we commonly place the IV after inducing anesthesia by mask.

A staff nurse will then escort you to the operating room.

Before starting the anesthetic, EKG and blood pressure monitors will be placed on your chest and arm, as well as a pulse oximeter on your finger to measure your blood oxygen level.

Your anesthesia care will be provided by an Anesthesia Care Team in which a highly trained nurse anesthetist is medically directed by one of our anesthesiologists.

After your procedure, you will be moved to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU or Recovery Room) where specially trained nurses will monitor your recovery and be responsive to your post-operative needs .

When you are fully awake, you will be discharged home.

We will attempt to telephone you after discharge to check on your condition. If we are unable reach you, we will follow-up with a letter.

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