TotalMD’s board-certified physicians and licensed medical staff are well-versed in providing medical clearances for patients at our offices. Medical clearance is typically an exam that takes place prior to planned surgery and is aimed at evaluating your health and addressing existing issues. At TotalMD, we specialize in preoperative clearances.
What is Preoperative Clearance?
A preoperative clearance is a professional assessment, made by a doctor, of a patient’s health and medical status prior to a planned surgical procedure. The purpose of preoperative clearance is not to ‘clear’ a patient for surgery, as its name suggests, but rather to identify underlying (or even unknown) medical conditions that may enhance risk and lead to complications during or after a particular type of surgery. While all surgeries are associated with some risk, specific risks can be enhanced by the health conditions of certain patients with different types of surgeries. Thus, a preoperative clearance gives doctors essential information to optimize the post-surgical outcome for the patient.
How does Preoperative Clearance Work?
Preoperative clearance begins with knowing the type of surgery the patient will receive and then assessing the patient’s health history and status. Prior to surgery, a patient will be asked to give the full medical history and undergo an exam to assess his/her suitability for a surgery. If necessary a patient may require bloodwork or other diagnostic tests, such as a cardiac stress test or a lung function test. These tests depend on the patient’s health status and the type of surgery to be done. In most cases, the preoperative clearance will take a single appointment unless further tests are needed.
What are the Benefits of Preoperative Clearance?
Preoperative clearance has several important benefits. First, assessing a patient’s medical status will assist doctors in identifying underlying medical problems in patients that may enhance risks and complications for a type of surgery. With this knowledge, doctors can plan and take preventative steps to minimize these risks, as well as provide recommendations for care after surgery. Second, preoperative clearance also evaluates the suitability of a patient for a particular type of surgery, based on that patient’s health status and history. In other words, doctors need to know if a patient is ‘fit’ enough for surgery, as well as what steps to put into place to create the best possible outcome for the patient during and post-surgery. Some surgeries may not be appropriate for certain patients, and alternative therapies or procedures may available for patients whose health conditions put them at a higher risk for certain types of surgery. Finally, an assessment of a patient’s health status allows a doctor and patient to have a clear risk versus benefit conversation about the proposed surgical procedure. With more knowledge, patients can make more informed decisions about the procedures and options available to them.
For a list of preoperative medical clearances provided at TotalMD, call us at 1 (866) TotalMD (248-4633).