American Expatriate Costa Rica

Doctors ask patients not to miss their surgeries

In recent months, San Carlos Hospital has not been able to perform about 400 surgeries because patients do not arrive, they attend after having breakfast, they have altered blood pressure, high sugar levels or they have a cold.

Authorities at San Carlos hospital are calling on the patients not to miss the opportunity offered by the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) of having the scheduled surgery.

Any of these reasons causes that the surgeries are not performed and the hospital resources are wasted.

Due to this situation, doctor Natalia Nikolova, coordinator of the Waiting-Time Managing Group at this health facility, asked patients to follow the instructions offered in the Ambulatory operation talks or to ask about the requirements and recommendations before the surgery:

-On the day of surgery, patients should have a 12-hour fasting, which means not consuming any food in that period of time.
-They should bathe with soap and water with special emphasis on the area where the surgery will be performed.
-Select clothing appropriate to the type of surgery.
-Do not wear any type of jewelry such as rings, watch, earrings or other accessories.
-If you take any medications, please consult your treating doctor what to do. Take advantage of the pharmaceutical consultation.
-If you take aspirin, you should stop taking it 8 to 10 days before the surgery.
-Attend without makeup.
-Go with an adult companion.

This month, the hospital will start a new evening surgery project in some specialties. Authorities are asking patients to follow their instructions and if they  cannot attend, they should call 2401-1372 or 2401-1312 to inform of the situation.

crhoy.com