For Scheduled Procedures

If you are scheduled for a procedure at Valley Surgical Center, Please download the Preoperative Assessment form and complete prior to your scheduled procedure.

Preoperative Assesment form (POP)>

Your physician may recommend a procedure for you be performed at Valley Surgical Center, Inc. Valley Surgical Center, Inc. is a free-standing licensed, accredited and medicare certified pain management ambulatory surgical facility located on the Valley Pain Specialists, PC campus. Please note that Dr. Steven Mortazavi holds ownership interest in Valley Surgical Center, Inc. If you have decided to have your surgical procedure at Valley Surgical Center, there will be two separate charges:

• *A charge from Valley Pain Specialists, PC for your surgeon’s fee. This charge is what your physician charges for performing a surgical procedure.
• *A charge from Valley Surgical Center for a facility fee. This charge covers the use of the operating and recovery rooms, sedation/analgesia (if used), equipment, supplies and medications necessary to perform your surgical procedure. It also covers the services of the clinical staff.
• Both you and your insurance carrier will receive a separate bill for each of these services. Your surgeon and the facility are two separate entities and are required to bill separately for these services. Regardless of where you have your surgical procedure performed, you will receive two separate bills. (This billing method is standard and required by all insurance carriers.)

We encourage you to be an informed consumer of health care services. Please do not hesitate to ask questions pertaining to any aspect of your care at our facility.

The Center has multiple reporting mechanisms in place for expressing concerns:

Tabitha Harlacher, Practice Administrator, Valley Surgical Center, Inc. 610-954-9040 tabitha_harlacher@valleypainspecialists.com

Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Acute and Ambulatory Care

ATTN: Acting Director, Division of Acute and Ambulatory Care Health and Welfare Bldg. 625 Forester Street, Room 532, Harrisburg, PA 17120 717-783-8980 tel.

Additional information may be found at the Office of the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/ombudsman.asp

Procedure Information

Discogram/Discography >

Epidural Steroid Injections (ESIs) >

Facet Joint Injections >

Facet Nerve Block/Medial Branch Block >

Facet Nerve Rhizotomy/Radiofrequency Ablation >

Intercostal Nerve Block >

Lumbar Sympathetic Block >

Nucleoplasty >

Percutaneous Vertebroplasty >

Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Injection >

Stellate Ganglion Block >

Trigger Point Injections (TPIs) >

Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy (IDET) >

Electromyograpy/Nerve Conduction Studies(EMGs) >

 

Patient Information

PRE-Procedure Information

Before your Procedure:

• Please let office staff know if you are taking Ibuprofen/aspirin or any other blood thinners.
• Stop Coumadin for 5 days. Have a protime (PT) checked the morning of your procedure.
• Stop Pradaxa/Dabigatran for 24 hours prior to your procedure.
• Stop Plavix for 1 week prior to procedure.
• Stop Aggrenox for 7 days prior to your procedure.
• Stop Ticlid for 7 days prior to your procedure.
• Stop Trental for 7 days prior to your procedure.
• Stop Aggrastat for 7 days prior to your procedure.
• Stop lovenox for 12 hours prior to your procedure.
• Notify office staff if you have a fever greater than 101.50 F.
• Always check with your primary care doctor before stopping any medicine.
• Please wear loose fitting clothing to your procedure, E.g., sweat pants. Try to avoid belts and zippers.

Transportation:

• You will not be allowed to drive home. A responsible adult must come with you otherwise your procedure will be cancelled.
• Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment. If you are receiving sedation, please arrive 45 minutes before your appointment.

Diet:

• Take your regular medicines the morning of the procedure unless otherwise directed.
• AM – For injections and other minor procedures, eat a light breakfast. For patients with diabetes, you may take your diabetes medicines in the morning.
• PM – If your procedure is in the afternoon, please eat a light breakfast and lunch.
• If you are having a procedure involving sedation, you may not eat after midnight the night before your procedure, but you may drink clear fluids up to 6 hours before the procedure. You should not take your diabetes medicines in the morning.

After:

• Your pain may not improve or could possible worsen for 2-3 days.
• Continue regular medicines unless otherwise instructed.
• Pay attention to your pain (i.e. what makes it worse or better).
• Expect a call from our office the next work day. We will ask you about your progress.
• Call the office with any problems or questions – or if you don’t hear from us within 48 hours.

If you have any questions regarding these instructions or any part of your procedure, please call our office at 610-954-9040 during regular hours Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. It is important to tell your doctor and others involved in your health care if you are taking or have been taking any non-prescription drugs, vitamins, minerals, herbals or other nutritional supplements. Any of these may interact with some foods or medicines and cause a reaction.