Preadmission Information Page
Preparing to come to hospital
The preparation required for surgery will be dependent on your procedure, and your doctor will tell you if there are any specific medical requirements for you.
Generally, you should not eat or drink (except water) for at least six hours before your procedure, unless your doctor has indicated otherwise. You may drink water up to three hours before your admission. Your specific fasting instructions will be confirmed by staff when they confirm your admission time. It is important these instructions are followed, or your procedure may need to be postponed in the interests of your safety.
If you are required to use a powered medical device (eg CPAP, BIPAP, Kangaroo Pump) please bring it with you in clean, working order. It is your responsibility for the biomedical settings and working of the machine. The hospital may conduct an electrical safety check on your device prior to use.
If you take regular medications, including non-prescription medicines, you should discuss this with your doctor as there may be specific instructions regarding whether you cease or continue to take these. You can usually take your regular morning medications at 6.00am with a sip or water. If your procedure is in the afternoon, you can usually take any regular lunchtime medications at 11.00am with a sip of water. There are exceptions to these usual procedures for aspirin, anti-inflammatory, diabetic and herbal (complementary / alternative) medications so please see more information below if this applies to you.
What to bring with you
It is essential that all patients bring the following with them when they are admitted:
- All entitlement cards e.g. Medicare / Safety Net / Veterans’ Affairs and Health Fund cards
- Any paperwork not already forwarded to the Hospital
- Relevant x-rays, scans or films
- Current medication (in their original containers) and prescriptions, including repeat forms
- Payment for estimate of gap between fund benefits and hospital fees, or total estimated costs of hospitalisation if you have no health insurance
- A hard case for your glasses (if required)
If you are staying overnight, please remember to bring a small overnight bag with sleepwear (including dressing gown and slippers) and personal toiletries. Do not bring unnecessary clothing or large suitcases, as these cannot be accommodated.
We advise you not to bring valuables, including jewellery and large sums of money, unless you are settling your account in cash on admission.