Perioperative Medicine

During your POM appointment your medical record will be reviewed. This will include a review of your current medications and other important preoperative screening questions. We will order any necessary preoperative tests at that time.  This evaluation will ensure your readiness for surgery.  At the conclusion of this visit, you will be provided with important information to help you prepare for your surgery.

It is important to keep this appointment to prevent any issues that may cause a delay or postponement of your surgery.  The date and time of your appointment will have been sent you in an email or given to you by one our surgical schedulers.

Your preoperative appointments

How to prepare

• Gather all your medications (prescription, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements) in their original containers. Complete the medications form in your Perioperative Surgery Booklet. Have your medications and form nearby for phone appointments, and bring them with you for in-person appointments.
• If your appointment is by phone, reserve a quiet place and set aside enough time to be interviewed. If you have young children, arrange for someone to care for them during your appointment.
• If you have any questions about your surgery, feel free to ask your nurse practitioner or surgeon. We’re here to meet your needs, and we encourage you to be an active participant in your health.

What to expect

• If your appointment is by phone, you’ll have a physical exam on the day of surgery. If your appointment is in person, the exam will be done at this time.
• The nurse practitioner will review all of your current medications with you, comparing your list with what appears on your medical record. This is done to help prevent medication errors such as omissions, duplications, dosage errors, or drug interactions.

Directions and hours of operation for the POM Clinic can be located here: 

Hours of operation and location

To help prepare for your POM appointment, please click the link below to view our preoperative questionnaire.

Print and complete the questionnaire. Have it ready for your upcoming appointment.

Perioperative Questions

If you are active on kp.org you can expect to receive an email from your anesthesia provider a few days before your surgery.  In the meantime you may find the following information helpful.

Anesthesia Department: Your Guide to Surgery

If you want to learn more about blood transfusions and blood products, click here to a link from the State of California:

A Patient’s Guide to Blood Transfusion

Click the link below to watch a video that will help you better understand the anesthesia you will receive before your procedure:

Prepare for Anesthesia

Next, we would like you to preview each step of your procedure online with the “Prepare for Your Procedure (EMMI)” program.  This short, easy to understand video will provide you with a clear sense of what to expect before, during and after your procedure. Patients who watch these find them very helpful and feel reassured about their experience having surgery.

The program can also be viewed at home, a Kaiser Permanente Health Education Center, or anywhere with internet access. Many can also be watched on an Apple iPad. Please watch the program as many times as you would like and share it with family and friends.

PLEASE NOTE: NOT EVERY PROCEDURE WILL BE LISTED.  IF YOU DO NOT FIND THE PROCEDURE YOU ARE SCHEDULED FOR, YOU MAY STILL FIND IT HELPFUL TO VIEW THE ANESTHESIA PROGRAM

If you are expecting to stay overnight in the hospital, please view the pneumonia prevention education video and handout.

Pneumonia prevention education video and handout

Prepare for Successful Surgery by listening to our guided imagery podcast on your computer or downloading it to your portable device.

Guided Imagery Podcasts

A staff member from the Admitting Department will call you the business day before your surgery to provide you with the time of your surgery.

For directions to the any of our medical centers or offices click on the following link:

Locations and Directions

Finally, it is our pleasure here at Kaiser Permanente to care for you during your surgery. If you have any further questions or needs, please contact the Preoperative Clinic at 415-444-2579.