Pre-Anaesthesia Clinic

Educational phone call

If you do not have a problematic health history and do not require pre-operative testing, such as blood work or an electrocardiogram, you will be booked for an educational phone call. These are conducted by a registered nurse in the pre-anaesthesia clinic and take approximate 15-30 minutes.

Please ensure:

• your surgeon's office has your daytime phone number and you will be able to answer the phone
• you have reviewed all educational materials and have your questions ready. Please note that for any surgery-related questions, we ask that you contact your surgeon's office
• you have your health card information, medications, vitamins and supplements ready for the nurse to review with you
• you have a pen and paper to take notes

In-person assessment

If you need medical tests and/or consultation, you must come to the pre-anaesthesia clinic for an in-person assessment. This assessment takes two to four hours, depending on your surgery and medical history. Please ensure you do not have any conflicting appointments the day of your assessment.

Nursing assessment: A nurse will go over your medical history and tell you how to best prepare for your surgery. If your surgeon has ordered any tests, such as blood work or an electrocardiogram, those tests will be performed at this visit.

Anaesthetic consultation: You will see an anaesthesiologist who will discuss your medical and surgical history, medication instructions and the type of anaesthesia and pain management recommended for you.

How to prepare

Treat the day of your assessment as a regular day. Eat and drink normally, take all your regular medications and dress comfortably. Patients who have limited mobility, are confused or do not speak English should bring a family member with them to interpret. Please do not bring children to this visit.

Bring:

• only one person with you
• your Ontario health card
• identification showing your date of birth and address
• your WSIB claim number (if you have one)
• additional insurance (if you have it)
• your family doctor's name and phone number
• the name and phone number of any specialists you have seen
• any relevant reports or test results
• all of your medications in their original containers. This includes pills, inhalers or puffers, injections, eye drops and topicals. Also bring any herbal medications and vitamins
• a list of all your medications from your pharmacy
• food and a beverage, if desired

Please remember to arrive 30 minutes early for registration. Please do not wear any fragrances, scented lotions, and/or hairspray.

Late arrival policy

While we make every effort to accommodate latecomers, priority will be given to patients who arrive on time. Depending on the availability of the staff and the date of your surgery, you may have the option to be seen between patients. However, this could result in very long wait times. If you are delayed and prefer not to wait, you can reschedule your appointment.

Payment

If you are not a Canadian resident or do not have OHIP, you will need to pay for your pre-anaesthesia clinic visit. The clinic accepts debit, credit and cash. Please have this ready for your appointment.

If you are using private insurance, please have your insurance information with you for your appointment.

Where are the pre-anaesthesia clinics located?

For your convenience, we offer two pre-anaesthesia clinic locations:

Brampton Civic
2100 Bovaird Drive East, Brampton
Second level
905-494-2120 ext. 56591

Please use the parking garage located on the east side of the hospital. Registration is in the main lobby. Once registered, please take the leaf elevators to the second level and proceed to room S.2.250.

Etobicoke Wellness Centre
115 Humber College Boulevard, Etobicoke
Fourth level
416-494-2120 ext. 33490

Please park in the hospital's public parking area, located both in front of and behind the building. Registration is in the lobby. Once registered, please proceed to the pre-anaesthesia clinic on the fourth level, desk 9.

What happens during my pre-anaesthesia visit?

During your visit, our goal is to help prepare you for surgery by being as thorough as possible. Here's what you can expect during your visit:

• Using your Ontario health card, we will verify your name and date of birth. A clerk will put a name band on your arm and ask you to take a seat in the waiting area.
• A nurse will review your paperwork with you, draw any blood work required, and perform an electrocardiogram, if required. The nurse will also give you information on how to prepare for your surgery and where to check in on the day of your surgery.
• Either your nurse or a pharmacy technician will review your medication list. Please ensure you bring a printout from your pharmacy.
• An anesthesiologist will discuss with you your medical and surgical history, medications and the type of anaesthesia and pain management recommended for you.
• You may be sent for an x-ray to obtain some images, if ordered by your surgeon.

While you are with us, you may eat, drink and take your medications as you normally would. You may bring food and drinks with you.

Please note: we see patients preparing for very minor to very complex surgeries. We see all patients in order of their appointment times. As appointment types vary, some patients' appointments may be in and out of their appointments before you.

What if I need to change my appointment?

If you need to cancel or change your appointment, please call us and we will do our best to reschedule your appointment.

Brampton Civic: 905-494-2120 ext. 56591

Etobicoke Wellness Centre: 416-494-2120 ext. 33490