Your safety is paramount at Salem Health and to ensure the safest surgery experience possible, we have created the Preanesthesia Testing Clinic. The purpose of this clinic is to make sure you are healthy enough for surgery and make sure you have a safe and efficient surgical experience from start to finish.
Have you ever heard the term “cleared” for surgery? That simply means you are medically healthy enough for both anesthesiology and your surgical procedure. That’s where the PAT clinic comes in. We thoroughly evaluate your health before you go into the operating room and that lays the foundation for the best possible outcomes.
Our purpose is to evaluate your health in detail so that our entire surgical care team can minimize complications and provide the safest surgical experience possible.
If you are already in good overall health, PAT visits can be a great time to learn ways to get even stronger, especially before major surgeries, and how to maintain your health after your procedure.
Our PAT visits are in-person in our office on the fifth floor of Salem Hospital Building C, include a physical examination, and may include blood work, EKG and additional testing depending on your overall health. Most patients require two to three visits to be cleared for surgery.
The PAT team consists of specialists in internal medicine, geriatrics and anesthesiology. Depending on your overall health and type of upcoming surgery or procedure, your visit will be with one of the following: a physician, a nurse practitioner, a physician associate or a registered nurse.
A scheduled meeting with your surgeon will take place at their office. In most cases, you will not meet with your anesthesiologist until the day of your surgery.