Think of Yourself as a Key Member of Your Healthcare Team. Before your treatment, your care team will need to learn about your overall health and your health history. When you give your doctor important health information, you increase your chance for success. Let you doctor know if:
- You have any other health conditions
- You are allergic to anything like penicillin, latex, or contrast dye
- You, or anyone in your family, have ever had a bad reaction to anesthesia
- For your safety, it's important to make a list of everything you take. You may need to get some medications out of your system in the weeks before your procedure. This includes: aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil or Motrin, blood-thinners like Coumadin or Plavix, insulin, Glucophage (Metformin), injections, steroids, all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, herbal supplements like Ginkgo biloba, vitamins, and recreational drugs.
For a complete list of what to stop taking and when, ask your doctor.
Smoking
To help prevent problems during and after your procedure, you may need to stop smoking before your procedure.
Pre-Admission Testing
Before your procedure, you may be instructed to have a number of tests performed in advance of your procedure date. For a complete list of tests required before your procedure, ask your doctor.
Comfort and Support
It's a good idea to ask a family member or a friend to be there with you for comfort and support. Think of this person as your partner in care. Doctors and nurses prefer to have one "go to" person for all communication. He or she should be able to speak up for you, ask questions, and give information about your health. Be sure to introduce this person to your doctors and nurses so they know it is acceptable to share your health information with them.
Insurance
All patients should consult with their health insurance plan administrator or employer for information about second opinions, pre-certifications, and prior authorizations prior to your procedure. This will help prevent delays or loss of benefits.
Plan Your Transportation Home
You should arrange for transportation home before you are admitted to the hospital. You will not be permitted to drive. For your safety, you will need to leave the hospital with an accompanying adult.
Preparation (Night Before Your Procedure):
- DO NOT EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING AFTER MIDNIGHT unless instructed differently by our staff. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the cancellation of your procedure. If you need to take a pill, take it with a small sip of water.
- Take medications as instructed by your care team.
- Shower the night before surgery.
Admission - (Morning of Your Procedure)
Upon arrival, all patients should come to the Admitting section, located off the Main Lobby, for an interview by one of our Admitting Registrars. The information gathered at this time is strictly confidential and will help us prepare your medical and insurance records. The registrar will ask each patient to sign a standard form of agreement to pay for any services provided that are not covered by insurance.
Patients Should Bring:
- Any personal items, such as a robe, slippers, toiletries, and reading glasses that will make their stay more comfortable.
- A small amount of cash on hand is recommended for incidentals.
- All medications, vitamins, and herbal products you are taking, along with a list of each medication, including the names, the prescribed dosage, and how often you take them. However, you should be prepared to send the medicines home after you are admitted.
- If you have an Advanced Directive or Health Care Proxy, be sure to bring a copy with you.
- Insurance coverage (medical insurance information, including policy number and card, Blue Cross insurance card, red, white, and blue Medicare card or your current month Medicaid eligibility card) and some form of identification (driver's license, Social Security card, etc.) will be used during the Admittance process. We ask that any patient with secondary health insurance bring this information as well.
Do NOT Bring:
- For safety reasons, please leave electrical appliances (for example, iPods and other similar electronic devices) and valuables (for example, jewelry) at home. Cell phones may be used in designated areas of the hospital, including the lobby, the cafeteria, and the elevator lobbies on each floor, but not on inpatient units.
- Smoking is not allowed in the hospital.
- It is very important NOT to open your windows during your stay. The air is cleaner and better managed with the windows closed.
- Since smoking is not permitted in the hospital, please plan to speak with your doctor about how to assist you to not smoke while you are a patient. Exposure to second-hand smoke for our patients, staff and visitors is preventable. Thank you for your cooperation in advance.
- Because we are concerned about your safety as a patient, you will be asked very frequently to verify your name and date of birth during your stay, especially before all tests or procedures, and before your medications are administered. Please be sure that you are asked.
- We also require that everyone who provides care to you wash their hands before administering care; please feel free to ask if you are unsure that they have done so. We want you to participate as a partner in your care as much as possible to ensure your safety.
- All children under the age of 14 must have prior permission from the Nurse Manager or Clinician and be accompanied by an adult.
- Television and phone rentals can be arranged by calling 4-1465.
Distinguished Dining has been developed to help provide the patient with the finest nutritional care. Our commitment in the Food and Nutrition section is to provide patients at Stony Brook University Hospital with sound nutritional guidance and education, the freshest and finest restaurant quality foods and healthy meal choices prepared by culinary trained professionals. Our "Room Service" style of food service enables patients to choose from a restaurant-style menu tailored to their physician-ordered diet. The menu offers a wide variety of choices at any given time during the hours of operation.
Breakfast is offered 6:45 am until 10:30 am and Lunch and Dinner are offered 11:00 am until 8:30 pm. Orders are placed to the call center at 4-2900. The operator will guide patients in making their menu selections.
Sound nutrition and good eating habits directly affect patients' health and speed of recovery, and this is why we, at Distinguished Dining, pay careful attention to preparing the finest quality ingredients to the patient specifications. The patients' selections will be delivered fresh within 45 minutes from the time of order.
Visit the Food and Nutrition section (Dietary) web page.
The patient care team at Stony Brook University Hospital consists of many professional and volunteer individuals.
Nurses - A registered nurse (RN) directs all caregivers in the care team. Unit teams include registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), hospital clinical assistants (HCAs) and nursing station clerks.
Physicians - Attending and resident physicians will be part of your care team.
Volunteers - More than 400 dedicated volunteers contribute nearly 50,000 hours of service to the hospital. They are specially trained to assist in a variety of services from greeting patients & guests to delivering flowers & mail. Volunteers are easily identified by their identification cards or their uniforms - pink smocks for woman, tan jackets for men and male junior volunteers, and candy-striped uniforms for female junior volunteers.
Auxilians - The Auxiliary manages the gift shop and patient television service.