Hobart Day Surgery

Preparing for your hospital visit

• Before your surgery

  What you need to do:

  • Arrange for a responsible adult to accompany you home and stay with you for 24 hours after your surgery
  • Contact your private health fund to check your level of cover
  • Make a note of your admission time and fasting instructions, which we will provide during the pre-admission phone call in the week prior to your visit
  • Advise us of any special dietary needs
  • Please shower prior to surgery
  • Please contact your doctor prior to surgery if your health has deteriorated, as we may need to postpone the procedure until you’re feeling better

  We cannot discharge you following an anaesthetic unless you have a designated carer. If this is not possible, your procedure may be cancelled. Please telephone the hospital as soon as possible if you are having any difficulty finding a carer.

  For 24 hours after an anaesthetic, you will not be able to:

  • Drive a vehicle
  • Drink alcohol
  • Operate machinery
  • Make important decisions
  • Sign legal documents

  Admission and Health Assessment form
• What to bring
  • Please bring your Medicare card, and where relevant your Private Health Insurance membership card, Veterans’ Affairs card, and/or Pensioner Concession card
  • A list of medications you are currently taking
  • Any recent and relevant X-rays, scans and test results
  • Any advanced care plan and/or treatment-limiting orders
  • Any personal aids you need (glasses, walking aids)
  • Any payment required to settle your account
  • Your Power of Attorney documentation (if applicable)

  You will also need to wear loose comfortable clothing.

• What not to bring
  • Please leave all valuables at home
  • Do not wear make-up, nail polish or jewellery
  • Please remove all piercings including earrings

  We are unable to provide childcare during your procedure, and ask that you make alternative arrangements for the care of your children while you are in hospital.

• Children's surgery

  It’s natural to feel anxious if your child is undergoing surgery, and we will do everything we can to make your family comfortable and relaxed. Toys are provided for your child’s entertainment while they wait for their operation. It’s a good idea to bring:

  • A favourite toy, story book or activity
  • Change of clothes and underwear
  • A baby’s bottle if required

  We will invite one parent or carer into the recovery room to be with your child after surgery. Only you know who the right person is, so please consider this carefully. You can bring a change of clothes, or some favourite food into the second stage recovery room.

• Patients requiring assistance

  In the interest of patient and staff safety, Hobart Day Surgery has a strict no lift policy. The meaning of ‘no lift’ in this policy is that staff are not permitted to lift patients manually to handle, transfer or mobilise patients because of the injury risk that this can present.

  Should you require assistance with access to Hobart Day Surgery, please contact the General Manager / Director of Nursing via the link below, who will be able to guide you with other available options. This is considered on a case-by-case basis.

  If approval is given to use your own hoist, a copy of the service record must be sited on arrival and an indemnity form completed.

  General Manager / Director of Nursing
• Fasting

  Before you undergo an anaesthetic, you will need to avoid eating anything for 6 hours. This protects your airways during surgery. During your pre-admission phone call, we will let you know when this fasting period should begin and when you can have your last drink of water.

  Please do not chew gum, eat lollies or have any milk-based drinks during your fasting period.

  We will give you a snack and light refreshment when you are in the recovery room after your surgery.

• Medications

  Check with your doctor, anaesthetist or GP whether you should take your prescribed medications on the morning of your procedure. You can take them with a sip of water if fasting. Patients with diabetes should discuss their medication with the pre-admission nurse. If you are on blood thinning medication and have not stopped your medication, please check with the pre-admission nurse.

• Smoking

  Please be advised that Hobart Day Surgery is a smoke free environment. Please do not smoke on the day of your procedure.

• Getting here and parking

  There is limited free parking onsite, so please consider being dropped off before your carer parks elsewhere. We will notify your carer when you’re ready for discharge.

• Admission

  When you arrive, please report to the reception desk where our staff will take you through the admission process. We will confirm your name, date of birth, admitting details and doctor. These standard identification procedures will be repeated throughout your stay to ensure your safety.

  We will provide you with a locker for your clothes and belongings, but please do not bring large sums of money, jewellery or other valuables as we cannot accept responsibility for their security.

  Every effort will be made to ensure you are not kept waiting before your procedure, but there are times when other patients require longer periods in theatre than we anticipate. Your surgery is likely to commence 30 to 90 minutes after you arrive, although this will depend on the procedure.

  We’ll let you and your carer know if there are any delays and how your expected discharge time might be affected. It’s a good idea to bring a book or something to keep you occupied just in case.

• Billing & health insurance

  Hobart Day Surgery has arrangements in place with all private health funds. We advise that you check your private health insurance cover before admission. Any excess or out of pocket costs not covered by your health fund need to be paid on the day of your procedure. To assist you with your claim, a health benefit form will be completed on admission and forwarded to your health fund on your behalf.

  If you do not have private health insurance, you will be required to pay the full amount for your private hospital admission. Your surgeon will provide you with an estimate of these fees. This estimate only refers to fees charged by the hospital according to your hospital booking. This amount will need to be paid on admission to the hospital.

  Please note there is no rebate from Medicare for your hospital charges. You will also receive an account direct from the specialists involved in your procedure, such as a surgeon, anaesthetist or assistants, and will need to pay for any prescriptions provided by a pharmacist. These costs are separate to the hospital fees.

  Third party claims

  If you are a Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) patient, we will lodge a claim with the DVA for you. If your surgery is part of a WorkCover or Third Party (TAC) claim, you will need to make the full payment (apart from ancillary charges) on admission – unless we have received written approval for admission from WorkCover or TAC.

  We accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and EFTPOS, as well as bank cheques and money orders. Personal cheques will not be accepted.

  Questions to ask your private health insurer

  Before you have surgery, we recommend you contact your private health insurer and check whether you are covered for surgery. We have provided a guide to the questions you should ask.

  Am I covered?
• After your surgery

  After your operation, you will be offered refreshments and a light snack and be given time to recuperate before dressing and returning home. You must have a responsible adult to collect you after the procedure and stay with you for 24 hours. We will let them know your approximate discharge time.

  Before you leave Hobart Day Surgery, any special instructions will be explained to you and your carer It is important you follow these instructions to ensure the best outcome from your procedure. Your doctor’s rooms will provide you with a follow up appointment with your doctor after your surgery.

  Your anaesthetist will give you a prescription for any pain relief and/or antibiotics if required after surgery. These may be required soon after being discharged, so please pick this medication up on your way home.

  One of our nursing staff will contact you within a few days to check on your progress and answer any questions. Those having cataract surgery will not receive a call as they will see their surgeon the next day.

  Preventing falls

  After your procedure and anaesthetic you may be at risk of falling or tripping. Take care when moving around and we encourage you to rest and let your carer assist you for the remainder of the day.

  Nausea

  This is less common with modern anaesthetics. If it does occur, it should only be temporary. If nausea persists, avoid food but maintain fluids. If it does not resolve within 24 hours, it is important that you contact your doctor.

  Sore throat

  This may occur due to your anaesthetist assisting with your breathing. It usually disappears within 24 hours. Simple pain relief may help relieve this.

  Tender arm or hand at injection site

  This may occur due to irritation of the vein or slight bruising from the needle or the drugs injected, and can persist for several days. If your arm or hand look red or inflamed please contact your surgeon or family doctor.

  Infection

  Please contact your surgeon if you are concerned about any redness, swelling, pain or discharge from your wound.

  Hand hygiene

  We advise patients and carers to wash hands prior to attending wound care or administering eye drops (as per doctor’s instructions).

• Privacy

  As a patient of Hobart Day Surgery your privacy and dignity will be maintained at all times. We hold medical records relating to your treatment, and the content of these records will only be divulged with your consent or where permitted or authorised by law.

  We will handle your personal information in accordance with Australian Privacy Principles and legislation that governs how hospitals handle your personal and health information. For more information, read our Patient Information & Pre-Admission Booklet, and download tthe Australian Privacy Principles fact sheet.

  Privacy Policy Australian Privacy Principles fact sheet
• Quality & Safety

  Hobart Day Surgery adheres to all statutory and relevant body guidelines and Australian Standards. Our management systems aim to provide the highest level of care to our patients in a safe and supportive environment.

  Hobart Day Surgery has a comprehensive Infection Prevention and Control Program in place. We use the expertise of an external consultant to provide and oversee this program.

  We work as a team under the management of the Board of Directors, Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) and Director of Nursing, with the following programs in place:

  Quality management – We continually monitor, assess and improve the quality of patient care. The MAC conducts peer-reviewed activities and we publish information about clinical performance, health outcomes and patient satisfaction.

  Risk management – We proactively work to mitigate risks to provide the safest possible environment for patients, visitors and staff.

  Workforce checks – Our dedicated specialist clinical staff have their credentials checked annually, and are assessed to ensure they can perform their roles so that you receive the highest standard of care and comfort.

  Clinical handover – If your care is transferred from one person to another, our systems ensure there is effective continuity. This includes your involvement in your discharge instructions as a patient or carer.

  Infection control – We aim to prevent and limit the spread of infection through evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

  Hand Hygiene – Hobart Day Surgery is committed to the Hand Hygiene Australia program and conducts regular audits to ensure compliance. You can find more information on this program here.

  Consumer involvement – Patients are at the centre of our care model, and we welcome your participation in reviewing our Quality & Safety reports, and feedback on how we can continue to improve.

  Open Disclosure – The Hobart Day Surgery Governing Body (Board of Directors), Staff and Accredited Medical Practitioners (AMPs) support the practice and principles of Open Disclosure.

  Hobart Day Surgery has a clear and consistent approach to open communication and disclosure with consumers and their carers,  with a view to fairness, transparency and  accountability.

  Please click on the button below for more information on Open Disclosure.

  Nexus Quality and Safety Policy Open Disclosure fact sheet
• Our commitment to child safety

  We want children to be safe, happy and empowered. We support and respect all children, and this is entrenched in the way we train our staff and volunteers.

  We are committed to the safety, participation and empowerment of all children.

  We have zero tolerance of child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously, and consistent with our robust child safety policies and procedures.

  We have legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety, which we follow rigorously.

  Our organisation is committed to preventing child abuse and identifying risks early and removing and reducing these risks.

  Our organisation has robust human resources and recruitment practices for all staff and volunteers.

  Our organisations are committed to regularly training and educating our staff and volunteers on child abuse risks.

  We support and respect all children, as well as our staff and volunteers.

  We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children, the cultural safety of children from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability.

  We have specific policies, procedures and training in place that support our leadership team, staff and volunteers to achieve these commitments.

  If you believe a child is at immediate risk of abuse phone 000.

  Please contact our General Manager / Director of Nursing via the button below if you wish to view the full policy.

  Contact us
• Complaints, concerns and feedback

  Please complete our Patient Satisfaction Survey, which you will receive by email after your procedure. We appreciate your honest feedback, as we are always looking for ways to improve our patients’ experience.

  If there is any aspect of your care that you are not happy with, please contact the General Manager / Director of Nursing. We will promptly acknowledge and investigate any complaint, and communicate the outcome and any recommendations with you.

  If your complaint is unresolved, you can contact:

  Health Complaints Commissioner

  GPO Box 960
  Hobart
  TAS 7001

  Phone: 1800 001 170

  Feedback form