How long will I be in the center after my procedure (recovery period)?
Recovery periods vary from person to person and from procedure to procedure due to length of each surgery. A rule of thumb is that you can usually expect that longer procedures will require longer recovery periods and shorter procedures require shorter ones. For a half hour procedure, you might have a half hour recovery period. For a one hour procedure, you might have a one hour recovery period. The average recovery is between half an hour to an hour and a half.
May my family accompany me?
Family members may join patients, if they choose, up until the time of their procedure. At that time, we ask that family members remain in the waiting room until the procedure is complete.
What happens behind the scenes of my procedure?
There are many people behind the scenes that perform to an exemplary level allowing your time at our center to be special. There are instrument technicians processing equipment, OR technicians pulling, preparing and assisting in your case and office staff that collect information. Prior to your procedure, your insurance benefits are verified by office staff. Your charts are reviewed by nurses and anesthesia and your case is prepared by OR technicians. The entire team at St. Louis Spine and Orthopedic works toward the same goal: we want to exceed your expectations.
Who should I call if I have questions before or after my surgery?
Questions related to surgery itself or preparation should be directed to St. Louis Spine and Orthopedic at (636) 256-0320. Specific questions related to your specific case or problems afterward should be directed to the surgeon’s office. In the case of an emergency call the physician office for the on-call physician or report directly to the emergency room. You are always welcome to call the our center for direction in a non-emergent situation.
Why do I have to come to the center 1 hour before my procedure?
There are two reasons. One, sometimes physicians get ahead of schedule and it is important that the next patient be available and ready for their procedure. Two, patients go through an assessment phase by nurses’ and anesthesiologists in preparation for their procedures. This takes time and, so that no patients feel rushed, it is important that all involved have time to make their contribution to your care.
Why do I have to pay my deductible and co-insurance at the time of registration?
The policy of this center, as with many health care facilities across the nation is that patients pay their portion of co-insurance and any remaining deductible at the time of the procedure. This helps to keep the collection prices down, thus the cost of doing business at a minimum. Ambulatory surgery centers are paid 46% less than hospitals, on average for procedures, and thus, efficiency of care including collections, is extremely important.
Why should I choose an ASC over a hospital?
ASCs (Ambulatory Surgery Centers), including St. Louis Spine and Orthopedic are known for their efficiency of care, quality outcomes and low cost of care in comparison to their hospital competition. Ambulatory surgery is our specialty and thus, we have established a reputation for excellence in what we do. We aim to “exceed the expectations” of you our customer. We and our Surgery Partners affiliates have succeeded in that goal of over 90% of our customers before you, we have confidence we will do that for you.
Will I owe more after the procedure than what I paid at the time of registration?
Sometimes patients do owe more after the procedure because the physician performed more than was anticipated at the time of registration and/or there were implants and supplies used that were unknown at the time of registration.
