Preparing for Surgery—You’re in Good Hands

Preparing for elective surgery can be a time of excitement and anxiety. Evidence shows that comprehensive surgical preparation improves surgical outcomes, minimizes complications, and reduces recovery time. 

The PSH Approach
All health systems use preoperative teams to prepare patients for surgery. At Barton Health, we take it a step further with Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH), a patient-centered, team approach to care that focuses on your health before, during, and after surgery.

PSH is an approach that puts the patient at the center of a collaborative network of care providers, including primary car providers, specialists, surgeons, and anesthesiologists. Working together with the patient, they identify individual risk factors well before surgery and take care to correct any factors that can be modified ahead of time to optimize the patient for surgery. 

Each patient and procedure are different, so the depth of assessment is fine-tuned to a specific patient’s health profile complexity—such as other present health conditions—and the intricacy of the procedure. Through shared decisionmaking, positive changes can be made. This proactive approach helps build confidence, minimizes surgery cancellations, and ensures patients get through surgery safely, and importantly, recover well.

Your Role in Surgical Success
If you are thinking about surgery, consider talking with your care provider about potential risk factors that can be improved, such as your physical fitness and blood sugar levels, along with lifestyle choices, such as smoking. Improving your health before surgery can reduce the risk for complications and help you recover faster. 

The fewer risks you have, the more likely you will achieve optimal health results.

Dr. Cheryl Orr is the Perioperative Surgical Home director. To take control of your health prior to surgery, reach out to your primary care provider. Visit BartonHealth.org/PrimaryCare to view a list of provider offices.