These blogs have slowly walked us through the different corners of our building here at Orthopaedic Associates of Wisconsin with one important corner remaining for further exploration-The Orthopaedic Surgery Center (TOSC). Our private surgery center is our pride and joy. It provides our patients with a more cost-effective facility in which to have their surgery. Not to mention, it is filled with friendly and familiar faces as our surgeons come and go regularly. A lot of patients ask how surgery day will go, so please allow me to walk you through a day at The Orthopaedic Surgery Center!
The coordination and preparation for surgery day begins long before you ever enter the operating room. First the case must be planned out by your surgeon and then submitted to your insurance company for approval. Upon the case being scheduled, you will be asked to complete a health history questionnaire online so The Orthopaedic Surgery Center can provide the best possible care for you and any potential health conditions. Your surgeon may have already requested that you be seen by your primary care physician or another specialty for pre-operative clearance, and those recommendations are taken into consideration as well. You will receive a pre-operative consult call from one of our nurses to go over all of the information we have obtained about your health as well as to provide instructions for surgery.
'Once the T’s are crossed and the I’s dotted surgery day arrives before you know it. You will arrive at our facility to sign a very minimal amount of final paperwork before being brought back to the pre-operative area. You will be provided with a fashionable gown, stylish surgical cap, and some slip-resistant socks for the duration of your stay while your belongings are kept in a strong and sturdy TOSC tote. You will confirm and consent to the appropriate surgery on the appropriate body part by the appropriate surgeon who will even provide you with a super cool
temporary tattoo when he signs his initials on the correct body part. Your nurse will expertly start your IV and settle you in for your stay, and then your anesthesiologist will come over to get the party started. Once you are wheeled back to the operating room, the only thing you will remember is waking up again in recovery, safe and sound, after your procedure.
Upon waking up from surgery, a smiling face of a recovery nurse will be ready to ensure comfort and help orient you to time and space. Those who accompanied you to surgery will already be with you in the recovery area as they will have already consulted with your surgeon regarding the details of your procedure. You will be provided with beverages and snacks as you can tolerate as well as continued pain control as needed. The discharge instructions will be explained in detail to both you and your caretakers who are not trying to wake up from anesthesia. Only when you feel you are ready to leave will you be assisted to your vehicle with all of your instructions, prescriptions, and any necessary equipment. And your TOSC experience doesn’t end there! The day after surgery, you will get a phone call from the surgery center to make sure your recovery is coming along as anticipated. Don’t worry, if you are sleeping, they will try to reach you again in the afternoon.
Our hope is that when the swelling is gone, the incision is healed, and the pain has left for good, you look back on your TOSC experience with nothing but affection. I know I did!
This blog is written by one of our very own-Morgan. She is a certified athletic trainer working as a medical assistant with our providers each and every day in our clinic. She obtained a bachelor's degree in athletic training from Carroll University in Waukesha and a master's degree in Kinesiology from Michigan State University. She is excited to bring you updates and information about the happenings at OAW.