Pre Admission
Our dedicated team of professional staff are committed to providing patients with the highest standards of care. Throughout our patients’ stay, from pre-admission to discharge, each patient will be treated with the utmost respect and dignity.
PRE-ADMISSION INFORMATION:
Clerical pre-admission
Pre-admission is an important part of your hospital care. To ensure we can confirm your admission, financial and other details, we ask that you:
- Fill in the online admission form, or complete the admission booklet that you would have received from your doctor, as soon as possible and send it back to the hospital.
Please have the following ready when you fill in your admission form:
- If you have any concerns with above, please telephone 07 3816 9920 between 7:30am - 4:00pm or 3816 9999 outside of these hours or send an email to onlinepread.sta@ramsayhealth.com.au
If you have private health cover, please contact your health fund prior to admission to check for any excess or waiting periods. We know that health and billing charges can be difficult to understand, and we are happy to assist in any way we can, however we also advise that you seek clarification from your doctor and health fund.
Nursing Pre-admission Information
You may be contacted by telephone prior to your day of admission by our Pre-admission Nurse. If you are contacted:
- Your medical history will be reviewed with you and admission and discharge details discussed.
- Please take this opportunity to discuss any concerns regarding your admission
Your doctor will notify the hospital of the date of your procedure / operation and inform you of your day and time of admission. Your doctor will also explain your procedure or operation and complete the consent form with you.
DAY OF ADMISSION INFORMATION
Day of admission
Please check in with the front reception in the main foyer at the time indicated by your doctor or pre- admission phone call. Please shower on the day of admission and put on clean clothes. We recommend you wear garments that are comfortable and easy to remove.
Please bring with you into hospital anything applicable to your admission including:
- Doctor’s admission letter
- Health fund details (if applicable)
- Medicare card
- Regular medications
- Pension health benefits card (if applicable)
- Pharmaceutical benefits card (if applicable)
- Relevant x-rays and / or test results
- For a child - favourite toy, formula, bottle and any special dietary needs (if applicable)
- Bag containing night attire, slippers and toiletries
- Personal articles i.e. sanitary pads (if applicable)
- Bank card or cash to cover your hospital excess, co-payment or out of pocket expenses
DO NOT (Unless your doctor gives you special instructions):
- Consume solid food during the 6 hours prior to the scheduled time of your surgery (fasting period)
The fasting period is a period prior to your operation when you will have a restricted diet or not be allowed to eat or drink (including water). This time is determined by your Anaesthetist or Surgeon and is related to factors such as your age and type of operation. It is imperative that fasting times be observed for your safety during anaesthetic. Please contact your doctor should you have questions regarding your fasting times outside of this information provided.
- Consume liquids containing solid materials during the 6 hours prior to surgery. This includes pulp containing fruit juices, milk or milk containing drinks such as smoothies, milk shakes or ice-creams. Clear fluids may be consumed up until two hours prior to the schedule time of surgery. Clear fruit juice is preferred as it contains calories ensuring that patients do not arrive to theatre in a catabolic state, however water is a suitable alternative. The ideal volume of fluid to be consumed is 500mls two hours prior to surgery.
- Consume black coffee or black tea as these are mildly diuretic.
- Smoke cigarettes or chew gum.
- Wear makeup or nail polish.
PLEASE NOTE: We request that you do not bring any valuables with you when coming to hospital including jewellery (wedding ring permitted) watches and large sums of money (additional to payment for out of pocket or Gap expenses). The Hospital accepts no responsibility for patients’ possessions, including jewellery, money and electronic devices.
Understand your surgical experience
You will be requested to arrive at the hospital at a time which is determined by your doctor in consultation with the Operating Theatre team.
It is important to be aware the admission time is not the time your procedure will commence. Due to the variable nature of procedure times it can therefore sometimes be difficult to estimate an accurate time for your surgery, in addition, emergencies can occur which may affect the order of the list.
The first people you will meet are our reception staff who will confirm your person details. You will wait in the reception area until one of our nurses asks to see you for your clinical admission. Please note: the nurses will admit patients according to the order of your doctor’s operating list.
Due to the admission process, limited space and other patients’ privacy, it is our usual policy that visitors are unable to accompany you through to the Day of Surgery Admission area. We recommend you share this information with your friends or family who will be accompanying you to the hospital, so they too are aware of what to expect.
Prior to the preoperative hold one of the nurses will review your medical history, all allergies, take your observations, check your consent is correct and complete and apply your identification armband. Preparation may include shaving the surgical site, giving you medication, doing an ECG, taking a blood test or asking you to wash your skin. You will then change into a theatre gown and wait to be taken to preoperative hold. Your anaesthetist may ask to see you at any time during this process.
For Day Surgery patients please check with nurse before informing relatives/friends regarding the time that you should be picked up.