After Your Procedure

Following your procedure, you will be brought to the recovery room; this is a monitored care area, so families and friends generally are not allowed. Your physician should speak with you and/or your family or friends after your procedure.
The time you spend in the recovery room will vary depending upon the type of procedure performed, the type of anesthesia that was given and your individual needs. Most patients are discharged within one-to-three hours after their procedure.
Once you are stable, you will be transferred to another part of the recovery unit so you can rest and be taken care of until it is time for your discharge. Here the postoperative nurse will invite your family and/or friends to stay with you. You will be offered something to drink and a light snack.
The nurse will review post-operative home care instructions with you and your responsible adult caregiver, as well as explain any special instructions provided by your physician regarding diet, rest and medications. This is the time for both you and your caretaker to ask any questions you may have regarding your procedure, your post-operative instructions, or your follow-up appointments.
Since it is normal to feel drowsy after receiving anesthesia, we also strongly recommend you postpone the following activities for 24 hours after discharge:

Driving and operating equipment
Signing important papers
Making significant desicions
Drinking alcoholic beverages or taking any drug without your physician’s approval

If you have unexpected problems, please call your physician. If you or your responsible adult caregiver feels that an emergency exists after your discharge to your home, please immediately go to your local hospital emergency department or call 911. EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE NOT PROVIDED AT THE DOTHAN SURGERY CENTER. A staff member from the surgery center will attempt to contact you within a few days after your discharge to check your progress and answer any questions you may have about your procedure.

In addition to any financial responsibility to the surgery center, you also may receive separate statements or bills from your physician, anesthesiologist and pathologist for any portion of your procedure not covered by insurance.

Dothan Surgery Center’s goal is to deliver premium care for our patients in a safe, caring, and relaxing environment. No one is better qualified to measure our success than a former patient. That’s why we welcome your feedback. Please feel free to call or write the facility administrator to share with him or her any comments or concerns you have regarding your experience at our center.