What To Expect with Anesthesia Care

Anesthesiology Care

Pre-Admission Testing

You deserve a surgery program designed with your comfort and convenience in mind. At Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth, we provide safe, high-quality care close to home.

During pre-admission testing, we will interview you to learn more about your medical history. Your doctor’s office will schedule this appointment one to two weeks before your surgery. Telephone interviews are an option for some patients. This appointment may take up to two hours. A parent or legal guardian must accompany children under 18 years.

Please bring the completed Anesthesia Questionnaire with you to your Pre-Admission Testing appointment. This appointment may include any of the following:

• Anesthesia interview
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Lab tests
• Physical therapy consults when needed
• Registration
• Surgical nurse interview
• X-rays

Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time to register.

What to Bring to Your Pre-Admission Testing Appointment

• One of the following forms of personal identification:
  • A government-issued picture identification or current Massachusetts driver’s license, passport, or other government-issued I.D.
  • All insurance information.
• Please complete the Health Care Proxy form and bring it to your Pre-Admission Testing visit and/or day of surgery. If you already have a Health Care Proxy, please bring a signed copy to your Pre-Admission Testing appointment.

Reviewing Your Medical History

It’s important to share your medical history with our team to receive the best care during your surgery.

The Hospital Has Earned the Top Safety Grade 14 Times in a Row

Plymouth, Mass. – Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth (BID Plymouth) has earned an “A” grade for its continued commitment to patient safety in the spring 2022 Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group. The ratings signify how well hospitals protect patients from preventable harm, including medical errors, injuries and infections within the hospital.

“Providing the highest quality patient care is our clinician’s and staff's top priority,” said Kevin Coughlin, president of BID Plymouth. “Receiving an ‘A’ grade 14 times in a row shows how deeply committed we are to providing exceptional care. We are proud to receive this recognition as it highlights the diligence of our caregivers for the safety of our patients.”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

“As our health care system continues to feel the strain of the pandemic, I thank the workforce and leadership of BID Plymouth for sustained commitment to patient safety, day in and day out,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is an outstanding achievement, and one that is not possible without a 24/7 effort by the entire health care workforce to protect patients from harm. This community should be proud.”

To see BID Plymouth’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit the Hospital Safety Grade website and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, and via its newsletter.

About Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth (BID Plymouth) is a non-profit healthcare and hospice provider, serving 250,000 residents of 12 towns in Plymouth and Barnstable Counties. BID Plymouth is a full-service, 170-bed acute care community hospital accredited by The Joint Commission, the College of American Pathologists, the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, and the American College of Radiology.

BID Plymouth is a part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, a health care system that brings together academic medical centers and teaching hospitals, community and specialty hospitals, more than 4,800 physicians and 36,000 employees in a shared mission to expand access to great care and advance the science and practice of medicine through groundbreaking research and education.

Surgery Day

It is important to be prepared for your surgery. Follow the instructions from your doctors office.

Don't Eat After Midnight the Day Before Your Surgery

Your doctor will remind you not to eat or drink after midnight unless your surgeon has given other instructions; this includes gum and hard candy. If your surgery is after noon and you don't have a history of gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), diabetes or obesity, you may have a small amount of clear liquids four hours before the scheduled procedure.

Water, black coffee (NO MILK OR CREAM), black tea, ginger ale, gatorade, apple juice, white grape juice and white cranberry juice are clear liquids. Be sure to discuss restrictions during your pre-admission testing visit.