CBC Surgery Center's Frequently Asked Questions

Your surgery time is the time we have scheduled for your procedure to actually start.  (Surgeons may call this the surgical incision time).  You are asleep (under anesthesia) or have had a numbing injection at the surgical site by this time.  Before that happens, you will need to check in, complete paperwork, ask questions, meet your nurse(s) and anesthesia providers, remove your clothing and shoes and change into a gown, and talk to your surgeon.  In some cases, you will also need to have an IV started and received medication (such as an antibiotic) before your surgery begins.

One of the many safety strategies we have implemented as a recommendation by our accrediting agency, The Joint Commission, advises that our staff ask each patient for two identifiers at each stage of their visit here.  We choose to ask our patients for their names and dates of birth.  This is to ensure that we do the correct procedures and surgeries on the correct patient.  There may be several patients on the same day with very similar surgeries and they may even have the same first name.  So, we ask you personally to tell us what your first and last name and date of birth are so we can check, over and over again, to ensure we take appropriate care of you in the best way possible.

Customer service for your account is provided onsite at the center where your procedure was performed.  The billing department can answer questions for you regarding your facility bill.  Should you have questions regarding a bill from your surgeon, the anesthesia provider, or a radiologist or pathologist involved in your surgery, you will need to call the phone number listed on that bill.  Those are outside services not controlled by the surgery center.

Both your surgeon and the surgery center will provide you with verbal and written instructions for your care at home.  A nurse from the surgery center will call you 24 to 72 hours after your procedure to check on your recovery and answer any questions you may have.  You may always call the surgery center or your surgeon’s office and ask to speak to a nurse as well.  If you have serious complications, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room at the hospital of your choice.  Do NOT return to the surgery center.  We do not have physicians on staff nor are we equipped to provide additional treatment or medical care. 

Please feel free to call your surgeon or the center with any questions you may have at any time.  After your surgery, your surgeon will speak with your family or friend that is waiting for you at the center to provide an update on your status. Your surgeon may also speak to you after surgery, but due to the effects of anesthesia, you may not recall the conversation.

Your surgery will take place in a sterile operating room.  Even the hallway leading to the operating room is a sterile environment.  Our staff members wear proper surgical attire which includes clothing provided by the surgery center that has not been worn outside the building, covers over their shoes, and hats.  This is one of the many processes we have in place to reduce and prevent infections.  Your clothes and shoes may have been exposed to foreign pathogens, animal hair, dirt, dust, etc.  All of these things could cause you or another patient to acquire an infection if they are introduced to your surgical site while it is open/exposed.  Having you change into a clean gown that we provide is just one of many things we do to ensure your health and safety.

We will make every effort to accommodate your needs and make your visit here as smooth as possible.  We strongly encourage you to call the center before your surgery to inform us of your needs.  You may also discuss them with the nurse that calls you before surgery.  Please bring anything you require on a regular basis such as crutches, walkers, hearing aids, etc.

As soon as you are aware you can not make your appointment, please call the surgery center at 219-756-0600 as well as your physician’s office. The surgery center can cancel your appointment, but your physician’s office will need to reschedule your appointment.

We prefer to do elective surgery when the child is optimally healthy.  In some cases, it may be better to delay the surgery until your child is perfectly well.  Please call your surgeon as soon as you notice symptoms of a cold or any other medical problems. Please notify the surgery center immediately at 219-756-0600 if the surgery gets rescheduled.  Do not hesitate to take your child to their pediatrician.  The anesthesia provider at the surgery center will also evaluate your child the day of surgery.