FAQ’s

The average time is one to two weeks. The wait can be longer for patients who require preoperative clearance from their medical doctor, cardiologist or pulmonologist.

Our office will contact your insurance company to obtain preauthorization for your procedure; however, this is not a guarantee that your insurance company will pay for your surgery. Patients are responsible for their benefits, coverage and payment for all services. We encourage patients to take this opportunity to understand their personal insurance benefits. You should directly contact your insurance company, employer, HR department or insurance broker to verify your benefits, eligibility or coverage.

Once your surgery is scheduled, you will receive instructions in the mail or by email.

If you are receiving local anesthesia only, your time of arrival will be will be close to your scheduled surgery time. For this type of anesthesia, you will not be required to fast.

If you are having sedation or general anesthesia, you will be instructed to arrive at the facility 1½ to 2 hours prior to your surgery. You should not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before surgery. You will need someone to drive you home if you have sedation or general anesthesia.

Aspirin, blood thinners (Coumadin or warfarin), Plavix and anti-inflammatory medications should be stopped 1-2 weeks before surgery. Speak with your Primary Care Physician or Cardiologist about this.

It depends on your procedure and the requirements of your insurance plan. Most procedures are performed at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, The Surgery Center of Rockville and Montgomery Surgery Center.

You must bring:

• your current insurance card
• a valid photo ID such as your Driver’s License
• your doctor’s referral form
• your co-insurance, co-pay or deductible payment
• any paperwork, filled out, that was mailed or emailed to you.
• notes from your referring physician, lab tests, X-rays and/or CT scans, MRIs, ultrasound films and each of their corresponding report(s).

If you are a breast patient, you must bring your recent mammogram and ultrasound films with their corresponding reports from two previous years.

If your insurance payer is Workman’s Compensation you must bring your claim number, insurance company; name, address, phone number, and the insurance contact’s name. You may obtain this information from your employer.

To expedite your paperwork, please fill out our registration, health history form and disclaimer and bring them with you to your appointment. We will gladly email, fax or mail these to you if you request it.

The average time is 3-5 business days. If the specimen requires special tests or a second opinion, the reporting time may be longer. The surgeon or his assistant will contact you with the results. Please be sure your phone numbers are updated and correct.

Typically, we ask you to come in for a post-operative follow up 7 to 14 days after the surgery unless your surgeon tells you differently. If you have a question or problem after your procedure, please contact our office @ 301.251.4128.

When you arrive at the facility the day of surgery, you will be registered. A nurse will prepare you for your procedure. You will be asked to sign a consent form for the procedure. You will also meet your anesthesiologist and your surgeon will talk to you before your procedure to go over any last minute questions you may have.

When you arrive at the facility the day of surgery, your insurance information will be verified and you will need to pay any co-payments or deductibles required by your insurance plan. Your medical history will be reviewed and a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner may examine you to be sure that you are ready for surgery. You may also need additional lab work done or repeated. If you are having sedation or general anesthesia, an IV (intravenous) catheter will be placed in a vein in your arm.

Recovery time varies by the procedure and the patient. Your surgeon will address all of your questions at your pre and postoperative visits.

If you have a life threatening emergency you should call 911 or go to the nearest Hospital.

A pre-operative history and physical is required to make sure any medical problems you have are addressed prior to surgery. Your physician will order pre-operative tests based on the type of surgery you are having, your age, medications and medical history.

Most patients that have outpatient surgery can be released to their home without any special assistance. It is helpful after many procedures to have someone at home with you for 24 hours after surgery. If your physician feels that you may require additional assistance he will go over this with you prior to surgery.

You should take any heart or blood pressure medicine the morning of surgery with a sip of water. Oral diabetic medicines should not be taken and insulin doses should be adjusted as recommended by your doctor.

All patients should return to the office 7-14 days after their procedure.

Generally, we do not keep x-rays in our office. If you bring x-rays to the hospital at the time of your surgery, you should be sure they are returned to you before you leave. Any x-rays taken at the hospital before your procedure stay at the hospital. If you do not have your original x-rays, they may be in the radiology department at the hospital, or they may have been returned to the radiology office where they were performed.