What to Expect When You Arrive at Massachusetts General Hospital – Division of General Surgery

Your Initial General Surgery Consultation:
For your initial general surgery consultation, you can expect to spend time with the physician, sharing your medical history and providing the surgeon time to examine you and evaluate your case for surgery. The surgeon will listen to you, describe possible options, and tell you about what you can expect during surgery and during recovery. If the surgeon determines that you are eligible for surgery, he or she will review with you the risks and benefits of surgery and ask you to sign a consent for surgery.

Prior to Your Surgery:
The physician's office staff will work with you to identify an appropriate date and time for surgery. They will provide you with instructions on where to arrive the morning of surgery, what you can and cannot eat or drink, what to bring with you, and any other important pre-surgical instructions.
Depending on the surgeon's recommendations, you may need testing (labwork, exam, etc) prior to surgery. If this is the case, the physician's office staff will schedule you for a Pre-Admission Testing Area (PATA) appointment. This appointment is typically about a week prior to surgery.

Your Surgery:
When you arrive on the day of surgery, you will report to the surgical check-in area. You will meet with a nurse who will help prepare you for surgery and escort you to the operating room. After your surgery, you will be moved into a recovery area. You will remain in recovery for several hours, until your physician determines that you are ready to be discharged home or transferred to an inpatient bed. The hospital has a comfortable waiting area for your family and friends to use while you are in surgery and recovery.

Your Inpatient Stay:
Your physician will let you know during your initial surgery consultation whether or not an inpatient stay following your surgery is likely. In the event that you will need to stay overnight, the nursing staff on the inpatient floor will do everything they can to monitor your recovery and assist you in returning to health. Massachusetts General Hospital is the only hospital in the state of Massachusetts that has achieved Magnet Hospital status – indicating its achievements in attracting top nursing staff.

Your Follow-Up Visit:
Your physician typically likes to see you back in the office 1-2 weeks after surgery to remove any stitches and check on your progress. The physician's office staff will help you arrange a suitable follow-up appointment.

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