Expectations for Surgery

Your Initial General Surgery Consultation

For your initial general surgery consultation, you can expect to spend time with the physician, sharing your medical history and providing the surgeon time to examine you and evaluate your case for surgery. The surgeon will listen to you, describe possible options, and tell you about what you can expect during surgery and during recovery. If the surgeon determines that you are eligible for surgery, he or she will review with you the risks and benefits of surgery and ask you to sign a consent for surgery.

Before Your Surgery

The physician's office staff will work with you to identify an appropriate date and time for surgery. They will provide you with instructions on where to arrive the morning of surgery, what you can and cannot eat or drink, what to bring with you, and any other important pre-surgical instructions.Depending on the surgeon's recommendations, you may need testing (labwork, exam, etc) prior to surgery. If this is the case, the physician's office staff will schedule you for a Pre-Admission Testing Area (PATA) appointment. This appointment is typically about a week before surgery.

Your Inpatient Stay

Your physician will let you know during your initial surgery consultation whether or not an inpatient stay following your surgery is likely. In the event that you will need to stay overnight, the nursing staff on the inpatient floor will do everything they can to monitor your recovery and assist you in returning to health. Massachusetts General Hospital is the only hospital in the state of Massachusetts that has achieved Magnet Hospital status – indicating its achievements in attracting top nursing staff.

Your Follow-Up Visit

Your physician typically likes to see you back in the office 1-2 weeks after surgery to remove any stitches and check on your progress. The physician's office staff will help you arrange a suitable follow-up appointment.

Your Confidentiality Is Important to Us

At Massachusetts General Hospital, we place highest priority on the patient’s right to privacy with regard to his or her health care. Our medical and office staff are trained to protect your private health information, both written and verbal. We hope you will feel comfortable and confident that your health information is safe and secure with us. If you have questions or concerns about your confidentiality, we encourage you to talk to your physician.