Your Procedure
Convenient Pre-Registration
Please pre-register before your procedure.
We offer an easy link on our website — https://www.simpleadmit.com/Welcome.aspx — for you to register on-line. If you are not able to register on-line, please visit our center one week before your procedure to pre-register.
Our hours are Monday – Thursday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Be sure to bring your insurance card and a photo identification card, such as your driver’s license. If you register the day of your procedure, you may experience delays.
Appointment Time — We Call You The Day Before
We will call you to tell you the time of your procedure the day before it is scheduled. If you have NOT heard from us by 3 p.m. on the day before your procedure, please call 601.485.4443.
Eye patients need to arrive at the times given to them by their physician's office.
Before You Arrive
Preparing For Your Procedure
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight before your procedure, unless you have been given special instructions by your physician. This is extremely important. You could have serious complications if your stomach is not empty during surgery.
Please ask your physician or call a Pre-Op team member at Meridian Surgery Center if you have questions about eating and drinking before your procedure. Children who are having procedures are scheduled as early in the day as possible. If your child is having surgery, please be sure that he or she does not eat or drink anything after midnight. If your child is an infant, our anesthesiologist may have additional instructions for you.
If you or your child are taking medication for heart problems, high blood pressure or diabetes, call one of our Pre-Op team members to discuss proper instructions about taking the medication on the day of surgery.
If you develop any changes in your health between the Pre-Op visit to your physician and the day of the procedure, notify your physician. Please report even minor changes such as an elevated temperature, cough, or cold.
If you suspect that you are pregnant, please notify your physician.
For your own safety and protection, you will not be allowed to drive a motor vehicle following your procedure. Please make arrangements to have someone bring you to and escort you home from our center. Verification of the driver will be made prior to any procedure requiring sedation. Parents may want to have an additional adult to assist in accompanying a child home.
Day Of Your Procedure
Bathe or shower with an antibacterial soap (Dial or Safeguard) and brush your teeth the morning of your surgery. Brush your teeth the morning of your surgery. Do not swallow any water. Nail polish and contact lenses should be removed. Do not use perfumes, colognes or body lotions.
Wear warm, loose fitting comfortable clothes. Shirts with front buttons or zippers are best. Wear sensible shoes to allow safe walking.
Leave your valuables at home. There is no safe storage area for these items at the Center.
Remove all jewelry and body piercing studs before leaving for the center. If your tongue is pierced, remove the stud. In case of an emergency, the stud can be an obstruction in placing lifesaving breathing instruments.
If you wear eyeglasses, contacts lenses, or dentures, bring an appropriate storage case because you will be asked to remove them prior to your procedure. Limit the number of people accompanying you. To maximize the comfort of everyone waiting, we request that only one person come with you.
You are encouraged to pre-register at Meridian Surgery Center – either on line — https://www.simpleadmit.com/Welcome.aspx — or in person one week before your procedure. This will eliminate delays the day you arrive. However, if you have not pre-registered at Meridian Surgery Center Be sure to bring your insurance card and a photo identification card such as a driver’s license with you the day of your procedure.
Female patients: Be prepared to give a urine sample. All female patients who have menstrual periods, regardless of age, will have a urine pregnancy test done prior to beginning any procedure.
What Happens Once You Arrive
From the time you come through our doors until you leave, you will appreciate the quality and professionalism that our expertly trained team provides. We work hard to make each and every patient feel at ease and comfortable. As you enter our facility, please go to the main desk for check-in. One of our friendly representatives will guide you through the process. Please pre-register before your procedure — https://www.simpleadmit.com/Welcome.aspx — in order to avoid delays the day of your procedure.
Pre-Op
When you are called back for your procedure, your first step will be pre-op. Here you will be assessed and monitored by our nurses, prepared for your specific procedure and be seen by one of our anesthesiologists. Please refer to “Preparing for your Procedure” above for more details on what to do before you arrive. It is normal to feel anxious or a little nervous before your procedure. In the Pre-Op area, you will be asked the name of your physician and to state what procedure you are to have. This is done to help ensure that you have been properly informed. If you are unclear about your procedure, this is the time to ask questions. We will be happy to ask your physician to speak to you.
A member of our Pre-Op team will also ask you to sign two consent forms. One gives the Meridian Surgery Center your permission to perform the procedure and the other is to allow the anesthesia team to care for you during the procedure.
The Procedure
You can be assured that all of the latest features are included in Meridian Surgery Center’s spacious operating rooms, from central medical gas and vacuum systems to monitors and state-of-the-art surgical and anesthesia equipment. Meridian Surgery Center features including the state-of-the-art surgical and anesthesia equipment and the latest video systems and endoscopes to help your physician view and evaluate the entire system.
Post-Op/Recovery
Following your procedure, you will be moved to our fully equipped recovery area. There, you will be closely monitored by our anesthesia and nursing team. The length of stay varies, however many of our patients are discharged within 30 minutes after their procedure. All of our recovery room beds are monitored with non-invasive cardiac, blood pressure and oxygen monitors. These monitors help ensure that our nurses have up-to-the-minute data when you are in recovery following your procedure.
When you have recovered sufficiently from anesthesia, you will be assisted to a comfortable recliner where your IV will be removed, and you may be offered something to eat or drink. Here you will also receive detailed instructions before you are discharged. We will bring one designated family member to the PACU (recovery room) when you are stable ready for your home care instructions.
Discharge
We are with you each step of the way, including your discharge. Meridian Surgery Center features a private, convenient discharge exit, so you can go straight to your vehicle. We really ARE with you through each part of your time here, and we will personally escort you to your car upon your discharge.
After You Return Home
Your recovery room nurse will provide you with post-procedure instructions regarding diet, rest and medication. Plan to have someone stay with you for at least 12 hours following your procedure, and pamper yourself during this time. Since it is normal to feel drowsy after receiving anesthetic medication, we also recommend that you postpone the following activities for 24 hours after your procedure:
- Driving and operating equipment
- Signing important papers
- Making significant decisions
- Drinking alcoholic beverages
Contacting Your Physician
If you have questions after your procedure, please contact your physician through his or her office. If you have an emergency, please contact the nearest hospital emergency department or call 911 for assistance.
Some Helpful Suggestions
If your physician has given you a prescription, have it filled before your procedure. Then, after you return home, you will have the medication available when you need it. It is not unusual to forget small details, so write down any questions you may have and bring them with you. We will be happy to provide you with appropriate information. It is a good idea to have someone stay with you for the first 12 hours after you return home. Rest and pamper yourself during this time.