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All of our anesthesiologists have completed a four-year college degree, four years of graduate doctoral training and four more years of anesthesiology residency. We are all qualified to care for the complete spectrum of patient conditions and surgical procedures, from infants to centenarians, from minor outpatient procedures to major heart, lung, and intracranial surgeries. On any given day, each of our anesthesiologists will be assigned to a specific surgeon and location. Due to the complex and changing nature of surgical scheduling, we are unable to honor requests for specific anesthesiologists.
When will I meet my anesthesiologist? The preoperative consultation can occur anytime from far in advance of your procedure date to immediately prior to your procedure. Patients being treated at outpatient facilities are generally healthy enough to be seen by their anesthesiologist immediately prior to their anesthetic. Patients having surgery at Providence Medical Center and Rogue Valley Medical Center are screened by preoperative clinic nurses who then schedule an appointment for those patients requiring advanced personal consultation with an anesthesiologist. We make every attempt to free up one anesthesiologist from their duties in the operating room at both facilities each afternoon for the purpose of seeing patients in the Pre-Anesthesia clinic. This anesthesiologist is not necessarily the same one who will be taking care of the clinic patients when they return for their procedures. Your clinic anesthesiologist will review your medical history, do a focused physical examination, order tests as necessary, work with you to create an anesthetic plan, give you preoperative instructions for eating, drinking, and medication use, and answer any questions you may have. Sometimes all of our available anesthesiologists are required in the OR, and we are unable to staff the clinic. In this event, our well-trained clinic nurses will substitute for us, and your anesthesiologist will meet with you on the day of your surgery to review your information and the anesthetic plan.
My other doctors say I am "cleared" for surgery. Why do I have be seen in the Pre-Anesthesia Clinic? Anesthesia and surgery will affect your entire system, so it is important for your anesthesiologist to know as much about you as possible. Your anesthesiologist is not only your advocate but also the physician uniquely qualified and experienced to make your surgery and recovery as safe and comfortable as possible. This is because our medical training provides a strong background in the principles of internal medicine and critical care, as well as the specific impact of anesthesia. We appreciate the strong medical community present in the Rogue Valley, and indeed depend on their continuing efforts to keep our community healthy and strong. In matters relating to anesthesia, we are proud to stand alone as the authorities on pre-surgical medical readiness and the appropriate anesthetic plan for you.
Should I bring anything with me to the Pre-Anesthesia Clinic? It is important for us to understand your medical history and current state of health as accurately as possible. For that reason, we will ask for:
What are the types of anesthesia? There are three main categories of anesthesia: general, regional and local. With general anesthesia, you are unconscious and have no awareness of the surgical procedure or other sensations. If you have regional anesthesia, your anesthesiologist injects medication near a cluster of nerves to numb only the area of your body that requires surgery. You may remain awake or you may be given a sedative. For some surgical procedures, a local anesthetic may be injected into the skin and tissues to numb a specific location. Your anesthesiologist, in consultation with your surgeon, will determine the best type of anesthesia for you, taking your desires into consideration whenever possible.
What if I still have questions? Many people are apprehensive about surgery or anesthesia. If you are well-informed and know what to expect, you will be better prepared and more relaxed. Our professional society, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, has a website dedicated to patient education covering a wide range of anesthesia-related topics. Please visit them at www.asahq.org/patientEducation.htm. We also encourage you to talk with us, your anesthesiologists, and discuss any concerns you might have about your planned anesthetic care. We look forward to caring for you!
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