Before Surgery

THE DAY BEFORE YOUR SURGERY

It is crucial that you do not eat or drink anything, including water, after midnight, the night before your surgery — unless you are directed to do so by a staff member at the Southern New Mexico Surgery Center or your surgeon. Food in the stomach can cause serious complications during anesthesia which would require the surgeon to cancel or postpone your surgery to avoid a dangerous complication. Avoid alcohol and tobacco for 24 hours prior to your surgery.

For infants, babies, and children there are special requirements regarding eating and drinking prior to surgery. Your nurse will discuss the specifics at the pre-operative phone call.

You may take any medications that you were instructed to take with a SIP of water the morning of your procedure.

For women, if you are pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, please notify your surgeon immediately. If you develop a cold, fever, respiratory infection, or other illness prior to surgery, please call your doctor or Southern New Mexico Surgery Center.

ARRANGE FOR A RESPONSIBLE PARTY AHEAD OF TIME

Due to receiving anesthesia, you will not be capable of driving yourself home following surgery. You must have both a ride home from surgery and someone to stay with you the first day after surgery.

CHANGES IN YOUR HEALTH

If you notice a change in your health (i.e., cough, cold, fever, new onset loss of tase or smell etc.) it is IMPORTANT to notify your physician and the Southern New Mexico Surgery Center before your scheduled surgery date. 575.437.0890.

WAIT TIMES PRIOR TO SURGERY

Our staff at the Southern New Mexico Surgery Center recognize that your time is important. Prolonged waiting before a procedure is both unnerving and inconvenient to you and the people who have accompanied you to our center. We strive to maintain a schedule that is efficient as possible; however, there are many factors outside of our control that can alter the progression of surgical start times. These unavoidable events can result in delay in the start time of your procedure. Whenever there is a change in your anticipated procedure starting time, our staff will always try to keep you informed and provide updates. Please be sure to ask our staff if you have any questions regarding your surgical time.

WHY DO WE ASK YOU TO ARRIVE EARLIER THAN YOUR SCHEDULED SURGERY TIME?

Getting you ready for surgery takes some time. We ask that you arrive before your scheduled surgery time to ensure that we have enough time to complete the admission process. We will minimize your waiting time and strive to maintain an efficient surgical schedule. If you do encounter a delay, please let us know what we can do to make your wait more comfortable.

Patient Portal

Medical Passports are secure, online patient-controlled accounts that provide medical history information.

Pay your Bill

Southern New Mexico Surgery Center offers an easy way for patients to pay your bill.

CareCredit

CareCredit is a healthcare credit card designed for your health and wellness needs for you, your entire family and your pets.

In the News

Southern New Mexico Surgery Center is a 2020 National APEX Quality Award Winner.