Hospitals see patients in the order of how urgent their condition is. This means we will see patients with the most serious or life-threatening illness or injury before patients with less serious problems.
We try to see patients for their scheduled appointment or operation, but sometimes emergencies mean we have to reschedule.
We'll let you know as soon as possible if we need to reschedule your appointment or operation. We'll fit you in at the earliest available time.
Before your operation, you may need to see a specialist involved in your surgery. The clinics are free if you have a Medicare Card. You'll need to bring your card to each appointment.
You'll probably see the following specialists:
You can ask these specialists any questions about your operation and recovery. They'll be happy to talk to you about any part of your treatment.
If you need to travel to your appointment, you may be able to get financial help. Find out about the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme on the Queensland Government website.
You can't eat or drink before your operation. Before you come to hospital, we’ll tell you how long you’ll need to go without food. It's usually at least 6 hours before you have your operation. You can check this with your doctor.
You may need to get more tests done. This could be another physical check. Your anaesthetist may also order extra tests.
Your anaesthetist will talk about the anaesthesia with you. They might give you some medicine just before your operation to help you feel sleepy and relaxed.
You may be asked remove any false teeth and jewellery.
You usually need to arrive several hours before your operation. You'll be told what time to arrive the day before your operation.
After settling into the day operation section of the hospital, a nurse will check you. Your anaesthetist may also visit you.
They may examine you, review your health history questionnaire and ask you more questions, such as:
Right before your operation, we’ll take you to the operating room to have the anaesthetic. The type of anaesthetic depends on the type of surgery and your health.
Some of the side effects and possible complications of anaesthesia include:
You can discuss these with your GP or specialist.
After your operation we’ll take you to a recovery room. You might not remember much of this because of the medicines you've had.
If you were given local anaesthetic for a small procedure, you'll be discharged shortly after your surgery. You may stay in the day surgery for one or two hours after leaving the recovery room.
You'll need to have a friend or family member drive you home.
If you've been given sedatives, pain relievers or general anaesthesia, you may feel drowsy after your procedure.
This is because a small amount of the anaesthetic may remain in your body. This can slow your reaction time and affect your judgement for the next 24 hours.
During this time, you shouldn't:
If you're eligible for Medicare, your operation is free. If you're not eligible for Medicare, you'll need to pay all hospital charges before you have your operation. How much it costs, depends on the type of surgery. Find out more about health costs, insurance and support.