Select patients may be requested to attend a pre-admission testing and evaluation appointment.

Your physician may schedule you for a pre-anesthesia testing appointment to prepare for your procedure. This appointment will help prepare and educate you to have the best outcome for your surgery.

On the day of your pre-admission testing appointment, you will arrive at Mount Nittany Medical Center, NOT the Surgical Center.

When you arrive at the pre-admission testing area, an anesthesia staff member will meet with you and review your medical history and discuss any concerns or questions you may have about your anesthesia. Please bring a list of your medicines and dosage. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the pre-admission testing clinic at 814.231.7050 between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Accessing PAT

When approaching the Medical Center from Hospital Drive, you should make a right at the “Y” and then park in the main entrance visitor lot of the Medical Center. Specially marked PAT priority parking spaces, with signs stating, “Reserved for Pre-admission Testing," will be available. You are to check in at the registration desk located at the main entrance of the Medical Center.

Planning for surgery

• You should complete preoperative testing such as blood and urine testing, electrocardiograms and X-rays.

• NOTE: Ask your doctor what medicines you should and should not take before and after your surgery. If you take aspirin, Coumadin or other blood thinners for your heart condition, please contact your doctor for instructions. Please check at least 10 days before your surgery for these instructions.

• If crutches are needed, please get them prior to the day of surgery.

• All minors (under 18 years of age) must have one parent or legal guardian with them at all times. If you are with a small child, we encourage you to bring a special toy or blanket. We will make every attempt to keep you and your child together as much as possible on the day of surgery.

• Visiting guidelines: In the interest of the patient’s wellbeing, we recommend no more than two visitors per patient at a time. You and your family will receive more information the day of the procedure on where to wait and when you can be with your family.

Twenty-four hours after surgery

Have a responsible adult with you the day of the surgery. This person should stay in the waiting room area. He or she is responsible for your transportation. DO NOT DRIVE FOR 24 HOURS AFTER SURGERY. A taxicab/bus is not permitted for transportation following surgery unless a responsible adult is with you (NOT the taxi driver or bus driver).

 Evening before surgery

To find out what time you need to be here, call us between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm on the day before your surgery. The office is open Monday through Friday. If the surgery is on Monday, call us on Friday. The phone number is 814.234.6750 or toll-free at 1.888.440.2272.

Canceled surgeries: If the governor declares a weather-related state of emergency, all procedures at the Surgery Center will be delayed or canceled. You will be notified if your surgery is delayed or canceled.

• Bathe or shower the night before or the morning of your surgery.

• Do not shave the operative site, use depilatory agents or do anything that might damage the skin at or around the incision site within the 24 hours before your operation. The anesthesiologist may give special instructions for men to trim their facial hair.

After midnight before the day of your surgery:

• Do not eat (including gum/mints).

• Do not drink (including water).

• Do not smoke or use chewing tobacco.

• If you were instructed by your physician to bowel prep, you may prep as instructed with only the amount of fluids required for the prep.

If there is any change in your physical condition, such as a cough, cold, fever, infection or rash, please notify your physician before coming to the Surgery Center. If you are unable to reach your physician, please call 814.234.6750.

The day of surgery can be an anxious time for some people, but knowing what to expect can help ease that tension.

It is important that you arrive at the Surgical Center at your designated time. This will enable our staff to complete your registration, review your medical history and prepare you for surgery.

• You will need to be available by phone in case of schedule changes.

• Bring insurance cards and photo ID the day of surgery.

• Arrive on time per your instructions.

• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.

• Do not wear makeup and remove nail polish.

• Leave jewelry and valuables at home. Remove your piercings and rings.

• Do not use fragrance or perfumes.

• Do not eat or drink anything before your surgery, including chewing gum, hard candy and any kind of tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, pipes or chewing tobacco).

• You should take any scheduled, prescribed medicines (such as heart and blood pressure) with a sip of water the morning of surgery unless otherwise told by your surgeon or anesthesiologist.

• If you have diabetes:

• Please take half of your morning insulin (Lantus, NPH).

• Do not take any of your diabetic oral medication that morning.

• Note: Do not take Metformin for 48 hours before surgery.

• If you experience low blood sugar, you may drink 3 ounces of apple juice.

• Please call if you have questions or concerns.

• If you are a female between the ages of 12 and 55, you may be asked to give a urine sample when you arrive.

Check-in and patient registration

IMPORTANT: Check in and register at Mount Nittany Health’s Surgical Center at 1850 E. Park Avenue, suite 103. Do not register at the hospital!

Upon arrival, your insurance and demographic information will be reviewed. You will then be met by a nurse to prepare you  for surgery.

Mount Nittany Health Surgical Center requires that patients have a responsible adult with them the day of surgery. This person should remain in the waiting room area during the surgery or be available by phone. He or she will be responsible for the patient's transportation home from the Surgical Center. We also recommend that a caregiver stay with the patient for the remainder of the day.

Caregiver responsibilities for same-day surgery patients

A nurse will come get the responsible adult once the patient is awake in the postoperative recovery area. Family members are permitted to accompany the patient in the postoperative area. The nurse will give the patient and his or her responsible adult detailed verbal and written discharge instructions as ordered by the surgeon and will answer any questions.

Caregivers of patients who have undergone surgery have several important responsibilities:

• Have a supply of clear liquids at home for after the surgery, such as ginger ale, apple juice, sports drinks and popsicles.

• Fill any prescriptions given by the surgeon and follow the discharge instructions regarding administration of the medication(s), if applicable.

• A responsible adult is required to drive the patient home following surgery. Public transportation, including taxicabs, is not permitted following surgery unless it is taken accompanied by the caregiver. You might want to use a blanket and pillow to make the patient comfortable if traveling a distance, but be sure not to interfere with safety belts.

• Give the patient clear liquids and light meals following surgery (unless otherwise indicated in the discharge instructions). Avoid heavy, greasy meals, especially fast food.

• Put discharge instructions on the refrigerator or by the telephone so the surgeon's instructions are close at hand for easy reference and in case of an emergency.

• If any problems should arise, call the Surgical Center at 814.234.6750 immediately.

If a patient wishes to have a copy of his or her medical records, the medical records office is able to process this request the following ways:

• By phone at 814.234.6167

• By email at medicalrecords@mountnittany.org

The average turnaround time is 2–3 business days but may be up to seven business days due to higher request volumes.

The release form can be emailed to medicalrecords@mountnittany.org, faxed to 814.231.7098 or sent via U.S. mail to the following address:

Health Information Management

Mount Nittany Medical Center

1800 E. Park Avenue

State College, PA 16801