Everything you need to do in the weeks before your outpatient procedure — from two weeks out to the morning of.
Confirm your insurance and authorization
Call your insurance company to confirm the procedure is covered at the specific ASC and that prior authorization has been approved. Get the authorization number. Do not assume the facility or your surgeon handled this — verify it yourself.
Review your medications with your surgeon
Some medications need to be stopped before surgery — most commonly blood thinners (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel), NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen), certain diabetes medications, and herbal supplements like fish oil or vitamin E. Get explicit instructions. Don't stop anything without being told to.
Arrange your time off work
How much time you need depends entirely on what you're having done. A colonoscopy might require just the rest of the day. Knee arthroscopy could mean a week or more off, especially if your job involves physical activity. Ask your surgeon for a realistic timeline — not the optimistic one.
Set up your recovery space at home
Think through what you'll need within reach: medications, water, phone charger, TV remote, ice packs, extra pillows. If you're having a lower extremity procedure, consider moving things to one floor so you don't have to navigate stairs. Set up before surgery, not after.
Fill your prescriptions in advance
Most surgeons send post-op prescriptions before the procedure so you can fill them ahead of time. Do it. The last thing you want after surgery is to send someone to the pharmacy while you're recovering.
Confirm your arrival time with the facility
Schedules shift. Call the ASC the day before to confirm your exact arrival time and any last-minute instructions. This also gives you a chance to ask any questions that came up.
Stop NSAIDs and supplements as instructed
If your surgeon told you to stop ibuprofen, aspirin, fish oil, or other supplements, most stop windows are 7–10 days before surgery. If you're within two days and haven't stopped, call the office now.
Prepare what you're bringing
Photo ID, insurance card, written medication list with dosages, any pre-op lab results or forms the facility sent you, your glasses if you wear contacts (you'll need to remove them), and a phone charger.
Arrange a responsible adult to drive you
Confirm your driver knows the plan — when to drop you off, where to wait, and that they need to be present for discharge. If your driver falls through, call the facility before the day of surgery, not after you arrive.
Follow your fasting instructions exactly
Standard guidelines are nothing to eat after midnight, and no clear liquids within 2 hours of your procedure time. Your facility may give you different instructions — follow those, not the general rule. Showing up with food in your stomach is the most common reason procedures get cancelled same-day.
Shower with antibacterial soap if instructed
Some facilities ask patients to shower with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) soap the night before and again the morning of surgery. If yours did, do it. It meaningfully reduces surgical site infection risk.
Get your clothes ready
Wear loose, comfortable clothes on surgery day. For lower extremity procedures (knee, foot, ankle), bring or wear shorts. For upper extremity, wear a loose short-sleeved shirt or one that can easily be pushed up. Remove nail polish from fingers and toes.
Get to sleep at a reasonable hour
Anxiety before surgery is normal. If you have questions keeping you up, write them down so you can ask them in the morning. Fatigue doesn't help with recovery.
Take only the medications your surgeon approved
Some daily medications (blood pressure, thyroid, seizure medications) are typically taken the morning of surgery with a small sip of water. Others are held. This should be explicitly addressed by your surgeon — if it wasn't, call the office.
No food or clear liquids within the window given
Even if you feel fine and it seems minor. This includes gum, breath mints, and coffee. The fasting rule exists to prevent aspiration during anesthesia — it's not optional.
Remove contacts and leave jewelry at home
You cannot wear contact lenses during surgery (bring your glasses). Remove all jewelry including piercings. Metal jewelry can interfere with electrocautery equipment used during some procedures.
Leave a phone number for your driver
The facility will need to reach your driver when you're close to discharge. Make sure the front desk has a current number.
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