Consultation with a doctor for initial assessment and referral to surgery
Any initial assessment regarding elective surgery is conducted in an out-patients clinic. Patients are examined by a specialist in the relevant field and together they put together a personalized diagnostic/treatment program.
Post-surgery monitoring
Part of the overall treatment is a routine monitoring service after the patient has been discharged. Patients are invited to the out-patients clinic for check-ups after surgery and – if necessary – continued treatment. This is also an opportunity for the patient to receive answers to any questions that may have arisen.
Individual preparation for surgery – private training session with a senior nurse from the General Surgery Department
Shaare Zedek offers a special pre-op service for patients about to undergo abdominal surgery (intestines, stomach, pancreas, spleen, liver, etc.), in which they can receive individual guidance from a senior nurse.
We see this as an integral part of the preparations for surgery, fully in keeping with our aim of improving the overall patient experience. From our own experience and the very positive feedback we receive from patients, we know that the more prepared a patient is beforehand – and the more he or she knows what to expect – the better they will recover both physically and emotionally.
When is this training and in what format?
Between a week and two weeks before the operation, the patient is invited to the Pre-op Unit for a day of preparation before surgery. Part of this includes the one-on-one session in the Surgery Department.
The nurse will host the patient (and any accompanying friend or relative if the patient wants), in a private room for an informal chat lasting from 30 minutes to an hour. This is a chance for the patient to ask any questions, express fears or concerns and match expectations with what is expected to happen on the day of the operation, the stay in hospital and the recovery period. At the end of the session, the patient will receive a booklet containing the information discussed, so he or she can review it at leisure.
What topics does the training cover?
The nurse will introduce herself and the department. She will share with the patient the vast experience the surgeons and nurses have accumulated in dealing with the particular surgery the patient is about to undergo. The patient will receive a detailed explanation describing every stage of the process, through hospitalization and discharge to recovery at home.
The nurse goes into as much detail as the patient wants so that he or she knows what to expect. This helps reduce fears, encourages the patient to cooperate more and empowers him or her to demonstrate greater self-control throughout the process.
We place special emphasis on managing pain treatment after surgery, to ease the patient’s suffering as much as we can. These pain treatments are also described in detail during the training.
On the department website there is more detailed guidance for the various operations. Patients and their families are welcome to contact our team at all times.