Our Admissions Office is located on the ground floor of the hospital at the Main Street entrance and provides 24 hour service. To reduce your waiting time and processing time with admissions, you are encouraged to pre-register by calling the Admissions office, at (304) 469-8600. By pre-registering over the phone, you will only need to sign the paperwork, show verification of your insurance and identification once you arrive at the hospital.

During your registration for medical services, information and authorization will be needed for your medical record and for financial arrangements. All information will be handled confidentially. Please bring any insurance materials including your insurance cards and be prepared to pay any co-pays or deductibles if owed.

Other helpful information to bring with you includes:

• a medical history (previous surgeries or medical conditions, allergies, etc)
• a list of medications you take
• advance directives if you have one

If you are staying overnight, your room assignment will be determined by the type of medical care you are to receive and room availability.

All patients are admitted to Plateau Medical Center without regard to race, creed, color, sex, religion, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, economic status, educational background, or the source of payment of care.

If You Need Surgery

It is recommended that you pre-register at least 24 hours prior to your surgery to ensure that your chart is ready upon your arrival. The day before your scheduled surgery, the hospital staff will notify you with instructions and arrival time.

If a deposit or co-payment is required, please bring it in the form of cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, debit card or money order.

Day of Surgery

• Arrive at Plateau Medical Center one hour before surgery.
• Do not smoke, eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery, including water, mints or chewing gum.
• You may brush your teeth and rinse your month, but do not swallow.
• Call your surgeon if you develop a cold, fever or have any breathing problems before surgery.
• Notify your surgeon if there is a possibility that you are pregnant.
• Anesthesia will inform you of any medications you need to take prior to surgery.
• Please do not wear makeup, nail polish, jewelry or contact lenses and leave any valuables, including your wallet or purse at home. PMC will not be responsible for loss of or damage to personal items.
• Bath or shower the morning of surgery.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing and low-heeled shoes.
• Make arrangements to have a responsible adult drive you home after surgery. Your driver may remain at PMC or we can give them an approximate time to return for you.

Recovery

After surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room where your blood pressure pulse and breathing will be monitored closely until you are ready to return to your room or be discharged home. When you are released from the hospital, you must not drive or operate any machinery and refrain from eating heavy meals or drinking any alcoholic beverages for 24 hours. If an inpatient, you can expect to continue having frequent checks of your pulse, breathing, and blood pressure, as well as observation of surgical site dressings and maintenance of IV solutions. Some discomfort is normal, but please tell your nurse if you notice a marked increase in pain or unusual symptoms.

Before you leave the hospital, a nurse will discuss with you any postoperative instructions concerning medications, diet and follow-up prescribed by your doctor.

It is quite normal to feel light-headed or tired for some days after surgery. If you experience any problems or concerns, please contact your doctor.

Personal Medication

Any personal medications should be left at home and not brought to the hospital with you. Plateau Medical Center’s Pharmacy will provide you with appropriate medication according to the directives of your physician.