COVID-19 Surgical Patient Precautions & Procedures

When you Arrive for your Surgery

When you arrive for your scheduled surgery, you will be asked to wear a mask, wash your hands and your body temperature will be taken. You will be asked if you or anyone living with you has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or if anyone has displayed COVID-19-like symptoms. If your temperature is high or if you answered yes to any of the above questions, we may choose to reschedule your surgery as a precaution.

Family Members & Guests

For your safety and that of our staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, one visitor will be allowed to accompany you into the surgery center. The visitor must wear a mask at all times.

Post-Surgical Instructions

When you are ready to be released to go home after your surgery, we will give you detailed written instructions for your post-surgical care and contact numbers for your surgeon and numbers for the surgery center, in case of any issues that arise post-operatively.

When you are Ready to go Home After Surgery

Our caring staff will help you get dressed, put on your mask and gather your belongings. Your driver/responsible person will be asked to move your car to the post-surgical exit door (under the large drive-through bay). You will be transported by wheelchair from the surgery center on the third floor to the post-surgical patient exit. You will then be assisted into your waiting vehicle for your transport home to recover.

Once you are safely in your transport vehicle, your driver/responsible person will be briefed on your post-operative instructions and will be given a printed copy for reference. This information will also include important phone numbers for the surgery center and your surgeon’s office.

Recovering at Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Having orthopaedic surgery puts stress on your body and your immune system will be tasked with helping you heal from your procedure. We recommend that you:

• Keep visitors to a minimum
  • Have visitors wash their hands immediately upon entering your home and ask that they wear a mask while visiting. Social distancing guidelines should be followed.
• Everyone in your household should wash their hands frequently, especially before providing patient care or serving meals.
• If anyone in your household becomes sick or displays COVID-19-like symptoms, they should seek immediate medical advice and self-isolate from the surgical patient

Follow-up Visits with your Surgeon

All surgical patients will be scheduled for a post-operative assessment visit 10-14 days after their surgical procedure. While an in-person visit to our office is preferred by your surgeon, you may choose to use Telehealth, which is an online video consultation. You can do this from the comfort and safety of your home during the COVID-19 crisis.