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Welcome to the Maine Medical
Center Bramhall Campus.
Our goal is to ensure that you recieve excellent care in a safe and comfortable environment. You can help by reading the
information below before the day of your surgery, so you know what to expect and can arrive at the hospital
prepared. You may want your loved ones to read this information as well, so they also know what to expect.
Pre-Registration
Once you have your date of surgery,
you will pre-register. It is important to do this as soon as possible so your medical record may be started. Please have
your health insurance information available.
You can register online
by clicking
here,
Or by phone: 207-662-2433 or 1-800-619-9715
Office hours
are Monday - Friday, 7:00 am-4:30 pm
Insurance and
Pre-Certification
Your insurance coverage needs to be pre-certified. You will also need
pre-certification from your insurance company for hospital services. Your surgeon's office will take the steps to get this
certification.
Financial Information
Your hospital bill does not include
your doctor's fees. You will receive separate bills from your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and any other specialists (like
radiologists) who take care of you.
Financial Assistance
Our
Financial Counselors will help you if you have no insurance, are underinsured, or are on Medicaid. A payment plan can be set up
before your surgery. Please call 207-662-2433 for assistance.
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Pre-Anesthesia
Screening
Once your surgery date is scheduled and you have pre-registered, the pre-admission
screening office will mail you an appointment to meet with the anesthesia nurse practitioner and the pre-operative nurse.
Your surgeon may decide that a phone call appointment will take care of this instead. In
that case, a pre-admission nurse will call you about 1 week before your surgery.
At this time, a nurse will ask you
about:
- Names, doses, and times of your medications
(this includes aspirin, herbal
medication, and inhalers)
- Allergies and reactions to these
- allergies
- Review health problems, such as Sleep
Apnea , and past surgeries
Please be prepared
with this information and any questions you may have.
Please let your surgeon know:
- If you are on blood thinners
- If you have a cold, fever, or change in your medical condition during the week before your surgery
Anesthesia
You will meet with your anesthesiologist at your bedside on the day of surgery. He
or she will review your medical and surgical history, test results, and anesthesia options. Once you agree on a plan of care, you will
be asked to sign a consent form giving us your permission to proceed with surgery.
If you have concerns or questions about
anesthesia care before the day of your surgery, please let your surgeon know. Their office can set up a pre-screening appointment to
talk about your concerns with the anesthesia nurse practitioner.
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The Day Before Your
Surgery
- Drink extra fluids, but do not drink alcohol.
- Do not eat food after midnight.
Important: Some patients get
special instructions from their surgeons to clean out their bowels
before surgery. Please read your surgeon's instructions carefully!
- You may drink water, apple juice, white grape juice, black
coffee, or tea up to 4 hours before your surgery. After that, do
not drink anything unless your surgeon gives you different
instructions. This includes mints, gum, or hard candy.
- Plan for someone to help you through the first night if you
will be going home.
- Shower or bathe.
- Do not any fragrances.
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Day of
Surgery
Your surgery date and time:
Your surgery date and time
will be given to you by your surgeon's office.
Please arrive no later than 90 minutes before your surgery time (unless your surgeon gives
different instructions).
- Strictly follow the instructions about food and drinking.
- Take your medications as usual with only a sip of water. If
you are on diabetic medications, please discuss with your primary
care doctor and/or the doctor managing your diabetes which
medications you should take the evening before or on the morning
of surgery.
- Skip your vitamins for today.
- Use and bring inhalers.
- Bring an accurate list of your medications with their doses
(only necessary if this information was not given to the nurse
during your pre-op call or visit, of if any changes)
- If you have sleep apnea, you must bring your CPAP.
- Remember, if the patient is under age 18, a parent or legal
guardian must come with them.
- Bring the name and cell phone number of the person who will
drive you home if you will be discharged on the day of surgery.
You may not leave alone.
- Bring the name and cell phone number of the person you chose
to speak to the surgeon.
- Bring your health insurance card or a copy of it (front and
back).
- Bring a picture ID card, such as your driver's license.
- Bring a copy of your completed advance directive or living
will. These are important documents. You will want to devote
thought and time to them before you become a patient. Please
complete them before coming to the hospital.
- Do not bring personal things that might get lost or stolen.
Usually, you will wear home the clothes you came in. The hospital
will give you a robe and slippers.
- Bring a case for your glasses/contacts.
- Wear casual clothes that are comfortable and easy to put on
after surgery.
- Do not wear makeup. Remove all jewelry and body piercings from
the neck up. All surgical site piercings must be removed.
- Arrive at the Surgery door next to the Emergency Department
entrance.
- Please arrive on time.
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After Your Surgery
You will be taken to
the Post Anesthesia
Care Unit (PACU) after your surgery. The
PACU nurses are specially trained to care for you as you recover
from anesthesia. You will stay in PACU until it is time for you to
return to the ASU or a hospital bed; this time is different for each
patient. Please know you may need to wait for a bed to be ready. The
Customer Service Liaison in the ASU Waiting Area will make sure your
family knows your status. This is a small area, so we ask that the
number of family members be limited if at all possible. If your stay
in PACU is extended, family may visit you briefly after talking with
the nurse.
The surgeon will speak to your
designated person after the surgery. We can give a vibrating pager
to family members who will have a long wait. These pagers allow a
little roaming to Impressions Cafe or the Coffee Shop.
If you are going home on the
day of surgery, your family may join you at your bedside when you
return to the Ambulatory Surgery Unit. We will give you written and
verbal instructions about your diet, activity, medications, and home
care before you leave the hospital. Some patients may need to
stay in the hospital for a day or two. If your doctor feels
this is necessary, you will be admitted to the
Short Stay
Unit
.
A nurse will call you on the next business day to see how you are
doing. Let us know about any problems you may have. Please take time
to tell us about your surgical experience, both good and bad. Your
thoughts will help us make changes that will improve our care and
better meet the needs of our patients and their
families.
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Pediatric Patients
We appreciate the special needs and concerns of children and their
families who need surgery.
Here are some tips to make the day less
stressful:
- Bring your child's favorite blanket, stuffed animal, hand-held
game, or toy.
- One parent must remain in the ASU waiting room during the
operation.
- Eat breakfast or pack some snacks for yourself so you are not
hungry. You can better care for your child after surgery if you
don't feel hungry.
- Do not bring other children with you. We cannot allow them in
the recovery area. You will want and need to give your full
attention to your child who is having surgery on that day.
- We encourage you to schedule
your toddler and yourself to attend Visit and View class before
your surgery. This class includes a tour of the surgery area;
you'll get to meet the staff, feel and touch the equipment, and
ask questions. To register for this one-hour class, please call
662-6267.
Diet instructions for patients under age 16:
(unless your surgeon gives different instructions)
1. No
food is allowed after midnight.
2. Encourage your child to have apple juice, water, white grape juice, or Pedialyte up
to 2 hours before surgery.
3. Breast milk is allowed until 4 hours before surgery.
4. Formula or non-human milk is allowed
until 6 hours before surgery.
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