Plan Your Visit

Before Your Stay

What is the admission process if you are scheduled for surgery at UAB Hospital?

Surgery at UAB Medicine: What to Expect

As you get ready for your surgery, please keep in contact with your health care team and watch this video to learn more about what to expect. Note: Masking is no longer required at UAB Medicine.

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Before Your Surgery

You will receive communication from your surgeon’s office prior to your surgery.

1. Three to five days prior to your arrival, our admissions staff will call you to verify your personal information for registration and billing purposes. They also will inform you of any co-pays or deductibles currently due.
2. After surgery is scheduled, you will be scheduled for evaluation by the pre-assessment clinic. During this visit, please have information about all current medications (you’ll need to read the label to the nurse), your medical history, and the names and phone numbers of your current doctors. Please tell your physician’s office if you need assistance in answering these questions so they can arrange a time for us to call when you have someone available to help.
3. The day before your surgery, your surgeon’s office will contact you to confirm your arrival time for surgery. Please call the surgeons office to receive your arrival time if you haven’t been called prior to 3 pm the business day before your surgery. The surgeon’s office can be reached by calling (205) 801-8000 Monday through Friday, 9:00 am–4:00 pm and asking for your surgeon’s office. 
   
   Your arrival time is not the scheduled time of your surgery. Patients are scheduled to arrive early to allow time for proper pre-operative evaluation on the day of surgery. Although we make every attempt to keep waiting time prior to surgery to a minimum, some delays, such as emergency surgery or complicated procedures, take longer than the anticipated time. Please arrange your schedule so that you do not have the added stress of a tight schedule. You could be here most of the day, depending on your type of procedure. It is not uncommon to be here longer than the time the physician tells you because of changes that can occur during the day. Additionally, following your surgery, you may stay in our post-anesthesia care unit for an extended stay based on room availability.

Pre-Surgery Testing

Information about your health is the most important thing our clinical staff needs to know before your surgery. Your surgeon’s office has a list of required documents that must be obtained from your other doctors for our review prior to your surgery. However, if you have a copy of any clinical document, please bring it with you on the day of surgery.

Interpreter Services

Both foreign language and sign language interpreters can be available during your stay at our hospital. Please inform the staff at your surgeon’s office if you will require these services.

What Your Doctor Needs to Know

• If you have allergies to foods or medications or dyes used in diagnostic tests
• If you have a latex allergy
• The name(s) and dosage(s) of medication(s), including over-the-counter and herbal medications, which you take. Please bring all medications that you take regularly with you on the day of surgery.
• If you smoke
• If you drink alcohol
• If you use recreational or “street” drugs
• If you have other health problems, such as diabetes, heart problems, or high blood pressure
• If you have had previous surgeries and anesthetics
• If you have had a reaction to previous anesthesia
• If it is possible that you are pregnant

Canceling a Procedure

Report any changes in your health to your surgeon’s office. This includes cough, cold, or fever.

Please call the (205) 801-8000 during business hours and ask for your surgeon’s office if you cannot keep your surgery appointment. You will need to contact your doctor in order to reschedule your operation.

After hours, please call the hospital switchboard at 205-934-3411 and ask to be transferred to the OR desk if you cannot keep your surgery appointment. You will need to contact your doctor in order to reschedule your operation.             

Schedule Confirmation

Please call the hospital at (205) 801-8000 if you have not been contacted by 3 pm the day before your surgery.