At HMG’s Outpatient Surgery Center, safety comes first. Thus, your surgeon or anesthesiologist may delay or cancel your surgery for your well-being.

We know this can be disappointing. Some of the reasons for canceling are within your control. Here are four ways you can lower the chance of delays or cancellations.

  1. Follow the no eating or drinking instructions.

    This rule isn’t simply to prevent an upset stomach. There are life threatening safety risks of having anesthesia with food or drink in the stomach. We will cancel your procedure if your stomach isn’t empty.

  2. Take medications as prescribed by your doctor.

    For example, stopping blood thinner drugs is vital before surgery. However, there are some drugs that it is important to take the morning of surgery. Your safety comes first. So, we may cancel or delay your surgery if you do not follow your doctor’s instructions.

  3. Arrive on time.

    We strive to stay on schedule for our patients. Because outpatient surgeries are routine, it’s easier to stay on time. However, one late patient can throw our schedule off for the entire day. This negatively affects some of patients where timing surgery is crucial. That’s why we may cancel your surgery if you are late.

  4. Bring your driver.

    Anesthesia not only slows reflexes. It also affects your ability to think clearly and can cause some amnesia. While you may feel like yourself, anesthesia hinders your judgment. If you fail to bring a driver, we will not perform the surgery. It is our goal to protect you as well as others on the roads.

If You Get Sick before Your Outpatient Surgery

If a new illness or an existing condition flares up, call the Outpatient Surgery Center to discuss your symptoms with a nurse. Don’t assume that your surgery will be delayed. We need to assess your symptoms in relation to your surgery. Sometimes, it is best to move forward with a surgery if your illness relates to the surgical problem. Other times, it is in your best interest to delay the procedure. Call us as soon as you think you have an illness that could delay your surgery. Below are some examples that could delay your surgery.

  • Respiratory issues: cold, sinus infection, asthma attack, bronchitis or other acute illnesses that cause shortness of breath
  • Viruses: flu, stomach or respiratory virus
  • Uncontrolled existing illness: diabetes, hypertension, chest pain, etc.
  • Fever