If you are having surgery, being prepared can ease your mind. At your pre-surgical testing appointment at Mount Sinai-Union Square, we are here to help you prepare, to take care of you, and to answer all of your questions. We want to be sure you are safe and comfortable before, during, and after your surgical procedure, and have the best possible outcome.

No more than two weeks before your surgical procedure, you will have your appointment for pre-surgical testing at our convenient Union Square location, easy to get to via one of New York City’s most central hubs for public transportation.

During Your Appointment

Before your pre-surgical testing appointment, you may want to review this checklist.

During your appointment, you will meet with internal medicine doctors as well as an anesthesiology team and perioperative nurses. Together we will assess your physical health, to lower the chance of complications and to make the day of your surgery go smoothly for you.

During your pre-testing appointment, you can expect us to do the following to make sure you are ready for surgery:

• Take your vital signs, height, and weight
• Conduct a brief physical exam
• Perform required pre-surgical diagnostic testing, such as blood work and an electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Schedule additional testing, if necessary
• Refer you to a specialist if necessary for a consultation or further testing related to cardiology, pulmonology, endocrinology, or hematology/oncology conditions

We will also talk to you about other preparations you should make, such as stopping medication. You also will hear about the anesthesia process: what to expect as we make you comfortable for your surgery.

Your pre-testing appointment will take about one to one and a half hours, or longer if you need additional testing. You may want to bring a friend or relative to this appointment to help you remember the detailed instructions.

We ask that you tell us about any special considerations you have so that we can assist you, such as:  

• Medical needs, like a wheelchair or oxygen
• Allergies to medicines
• A translator for you or the person who will be  coming with you on the day of your procedure

What to Bring with You

It is helpful for us to have information about your medical history and status. Please bring—or have your doctor fax to us—the following materials:

• Completed medical history form
  
• Health insurance information, such as your insurance card 
• Your doctor’s referral for the procedure, if required by your health insurance
• A list of all prescribed medications, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements that you take regularly
• Details about any previous surgeries you have had and the approximate dates
• Orders or instructions from your surgeon, if provided
• Results from other pre-surgery tests that were done for this procedure, either within or outside the Mount Sinai Health System, including blood work, electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, stress tests, and cardiac catheterizations
• If you have a pacemaker or  defibrillator, copies of your device identification cards

For your convenience, we have a lab and pathology services available, all on the same floor.