Welcome to Holy Spirit Northside (HSN) Private Hospital and thank you for choosing this facility to undergo your day procedure. During your brief stay in one of our two Day Procedure Units, our experienced and professional nursing staff will care for you and strive to make your visit as comfortable and pleasant as possible.

• HSN Day Surgery Unit / Day of Surgery Admissions
• HSN Endoscopy/Colonoscopy Unit

The Day Surgery Unit (DSU) is on level 2 which is very conveniently linked via a walkway from the hospital's top entrance and car park. From other levels it is situated nearest the northern bank of lifts.

Day Surgery is a very pleasant environment in which you can undergo minor surgery and return home on the same day. In consultation with your doctor, DSU offers several types of clinical procedures including:

Knee Arthroscopy Hip Arthroscopy Carpal Tunnel Release Trigger Finger Release Renal Biopsy Cystoscopy Urethroscopy TRUS Biopsy Hysteroscopy Bronchoscopy Removal of Teeth Hernia Repairs Excision of Skin Lesions Excision of Cysts Discectomy Steroid injections.

• Public transport is not an appropriate choice for your trip home from hospital
• Due to the anaesthetic you will receive, you must arrange for a responsible adult – a family member, a friend or carer - to transport you home following your procedure
• Regardless of how well you feel on the day, you must not drive a car or operate machinery for 12 hours after undergoing a procedure
• Failure to observe carries the same implications as drink driving and driving under the influence; it is illegal and you will not be covered by motor vehicle insurance in the event of causing damage or an accident
• You must pre-arrange with a responsible person to care for you overnight after your discharge from hospital
• You should not sign any contracts or make important decisions for 24 hours following your procedure
• You should not consume alcohol for 24 hours after a procedure as it will increase the effects of your sedative
• You must follow any pre-admission and post-procedural instructions given to you and contact your doctor or present to an Emergency Department should you have any post-procedural complications.

Hospital staff will ring you the day before your procedure to tell you what to bring and what to expect during your stay with us. Being prepared for hospital leads to a smooth and stress-free admission so be sure to:

• Register for admission (telephone 1300 884 974) at least 1 to 2 weeks prior to your planned admission
• Bring with you to hospital on the day of admission –
• Signed Consent Form
• Doctor's Admission Letter
• Any x-rays relevant to the procedure
• Current Medications
• Pharmacy benefits / Safety Net Card
• Medicare Card
• Current Concession / Pension / health benefits Card
• Private Health Fund Card or DVA Entitlement Card (if you have one)
• Credit Card (please note Diners credit card is NOT accepted).

Normally you will have nothing to eat or drink six hours before surgery, but please follow your doctor’s instructions about not eating or drinking prior to your procedure.

Proceed directly to level 2 where you will be admitted by our welcoming and experienced reception staff. Be aware that patients requiring a wheelchair can request one at the patient drop-off zone.

Be sure to bring with you any relevant cards and forms. You will be greeted by one of our friendly professional nurses who will admit you to the unit, answer any questions you may have, and prepare you for theatre. This is also a very good time:

• To alert staff of any special dietary needs so appropriate arrangements can be made for your post-procedure snack
• To alert staff if you anticipate any difficulties with transport or arrangements for your at-home care for 24 hours after being discharged from hospital
• For drivers to make prior arrangements with Day Surgery staff to call them (don’t forget to leave a contact name and number) when a patient is ready to be collected.

You will return to DSU for about 1½ - 2 hours to recover. During your stay in DSU, drivers awaiting a short stay patient are invited to avail themselves of the facilities in the Deck Café on the Ground Floor.

For patients whose stay is longer, staff will contact the driver on your return to DSU and nominate a time for you to be collected. This will allow the driver time to coordinate his/her arrival at the pick-up zone where you will be waiting. Wheelchairs will be available.

During the recovery period you will be given something to eat and drink. Your surgeon may visit and talk to you after surgery. Nursing staff will explain your discharge instructions. When completed, you will be ready to go home. And, don’t forget to take with you any X-rays that you may have brought with you.

Following your surgery staff will ring you next day to find out how you are and answer any questions you may have. If staff cannot contact you they will post a card.

The Staff of the Day Surgery Unit take pride in providing professional, competent and compassionate care to our patients and will welcome your written feedback about how we can improve our service.

The Endoscopy Unit (ENU) is on level 1 of the hospital and is best accessed from the southern bank of lifts. The hospital's top entrance and car park are linked to the hospital via a walkway on level 2. The ENU is a modern unit where diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are performed. Generally you can return home the same day. Some of the procedures that are performed include:

Gastroscopy +/- polypectomy (Upper Endoscopy) Colonoscopy +/- polypectomy Sclerotherapy of bleeding lesions Banding of Haemorrhoids Insertion of prostheses Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography (E.R.C.P.) Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Removal of foreign bodies Endoscopic Ultrasound Endoscopic Dilatation

• Public transport is not an appropriate choice for your trip home from hospital
• Owing to the anaesthetic you will receive, you must arrange for a responsible adult – a family member, a friend or carer - to transport you home following your procedure
• Regardless of how well you feel on the day, you must not drive a car or operate machinery for 12 hours after undergoing a procedure
• Failure to observe these instructions carries the same implications as drink driving and driving under the influence; it is illegal and you will not be covered by motor vehicle insurance in the event of causing damage or an accident
• You should not sign any contracts or make important decisions for 24 hours following your procedures
• You should not consume alcohol for 24 hours after a procedure as it will increase the effects of your sedation
• You must follow any pre-admission and post-procedural instructions given to you and contact your doctor or present to an Emergency Department should you have any post-procedural complications.

Most patients having procedures in Endoscopy will meet their specialist beforehand. It is after your meeting with your specialist that you will be told what to bring and what to expect during your stay with us. Being prepared for hospital leads to a smooth and stress-free admission so be sure to:

• Register for admission (telephone 1300 884 974) at least 1 to 2 weeks prior to your planned admission
• Bring these things with you on the day of your admission –
• Signed Consent Form
• Doctor’s Admission Letter
• Any x-rays relevant to the procedure
• Current Medications
• Pharmacy benefits / Safety Net Card
• Medicare Card
• Current Concession / Pension / health benefits Card
• Private Health Fund Card or DVA Entitlement Card (if you have one)
• Credit Card (please note Diners credit card is NOT accepted).

Normally you will have nothing to eat or drink for at least six hours before your procedure, but please follow your doctor’s instructions regarding diet and not eating or drinking prior to your procedure.
For some patients a bowel cleansing preparation and diet are required for your procedure. Follow these instructions closely and do not hesitate to contact your doctor or the endoscopy unit if you have any problems.

Proceed to the Endoscopy Unit on Level 1 where you will be admitted by our welcoming and experienced reception staff. Patients requiring a wheelchair can request one at the patient drop-off zone.

Be sure to bring any relevant cards and forms with you. You may give these forms to the receptionist or you may give these to the nurse if they are relevant to your medical history. You will then be interviewed by one of the nursing staff and any questions you have about your procedure can be asked and the nurse will undertake answering them. You will then proceed through to the next part of the unit in readiness for your procedure. Please inform the staff of any of your following needs;

• Special dietary needs for your post-procedure snack
• Any difficulties with arrangements getting home – please remember to take a note of the name and contact phone number of the person responsible for taking you home. This information will be noted on your admission form for use after your recovery.

You can expect to stay in the Endoscopy Unit for approximately 2 – 3 hours to recover. This includes your initial recovery then recovery and refreshments in a comfortable recliner chair. During your stay in Endoscopy, drivers awaiting a short stay patient are invited to avail themselves of the facilities in the Deck Café on the Ground Floor.

For patients whose stay is longer, staff will contact your driver and nominate a time for you to be collected. This will allow your driver time to coordinate his/her arrival at the pick-up zone where you will be waiting. Wheelchairs will be available.

After you have had something to eat and drink, your doctor may visit to talk to you about your procedure and when to make another appointment if applicable. Nursing staff will explain your discharge instructions. When completed, you will be ready to go home. Remember to take your X-rays with you.

The Staff of the Endoscopy Unit aim to deliver professional, competent and compassionate care to patients and will welcome your written feedback about improving service.