The Preoperative Assessment Clinic (PAC), an outpatient clinic of Wake Forest Baptist Health, provides evaluation, preparation and education for more than 16,000 surgery patients each year.

Once your surgery is scheduled, our nurse navigator will call you to discuss your individual plan of care. That plan may include a PAC visit before surgery. Learn what else you should expect before, during and after your surgery.

What to Bring to Your PAC Visit

  • Getting Ready for Surgery packet
  • Support person, if available
  • Photo ID
  • Insurance card
  • Current medication list (doses and instructions) or medicines in original containers
  • Stent cards
  • Be prepared to review information about your medical history, including past surgeries

What to Expect During Your PAC Visit

Please arrive 15 minutes early to complete paperwork. You should expect to be at your PAC visit for 2 hours.

When you arrive, you will check in with the receptionist to complete your hospital consent forms and verify your information. Please bring a completed PAC intake form with you.

At the beginning of your appointment we will take your vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, height, and weight) and a PAC nurse will walk you through an intake process in a private room.

Next you will be evaluated by an anesthesiologist or another anesthesia specialist, such as a resident, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. They will go over the types of anesthesia that may be used for your surgery. However, the final decision regarding the type of anesthetic is usually made the evening before your surgery.

After the anesthesia evaluation, your PAC nurse will discuss preoperative instructions, such as where to go and what time to arrive on the day of your surgery. The actual time of your surgery will be confirmed by phone call on the day before the anticipated procedure (after 3 pm).

Occasionally, additional tests may be ordered based on your health issues, medications you take or the nature or your surgery. If needed, you will have those tests at this time.

If tests have been completed by another physician, such as your primary care provider, please bring the results of these tests to your appointment.

Before you leave, you will be given an after-visit summary. This summary is an important document that you should refer back to for any instructions outlined during your PAC visit.

During your visit, we want to make sure we address all aspects of your surgery and answer any questions you may have. In addition to going over the medical aspects of your procedure, you can meet with a financial counselor at this time if you wish to discuss your financial options. This visit is an important time for you and your care givers to learn about what to expect, as well as for you to express any preferences or concerns.

If you have any questions or if your instructions aren’t clear after you leave, you may call the phone number listed on your after-visit summary.