Pre-anesthesia Clinic

We want to minimize any risk and prepare you for the anesthesia and surgery you will receive. Some patients, such as those with chronic medical conditions, are at higher risk for anesthesia- and surgery-related complications. The UW Health Pre-anesthesia Clinic offers evaluation and preparation for all patients who have complex medical histories or are preparing for high-risk surgery. Our clinic takes the necessary steps to ensure that all patients have the best possible surgical outcome.

Some patients who have surgery do not need to be seen in this clinic, but if you are identified as a patient who will benefit from additional evaluation and preparation UW Health will contact you to schedule an appointment.

UW Health established the Pre-anesthesia Clinic to maximize patient safety in the operating room and ensure best possible outcomes for all patients. Surgery and anesthesia have benefits and risks. However, many of the risks can be reduced with preparation and evaluation. Additionally, our highly trained physicians and staff and our world-class facilities, equipment and monitors ensure the best-possible care and outcomes.

You will meet with an anesthesiologist and an advanced practice provider who are experts in perioperative medicine. They have exceptional training and experience in working with medically complex patients and those patients preparing for high-risk surgery.

We prefer to see you in person at our Pre-anesthesia Clinic; however, if medically appropriate, you might have the option of a video visit depending on how far you live from Madison. Our goal is for you to have the best care and safest possible outcome, so if traveling to Madison is difficult, we would rather meet with you by video visit than not see you at all before your surgery.

The clinic is located at East Madison Hospital and is for patients who are having surgery at University Hospital, East Madison Hospital or Madison Surgery Center.

Understanding the different appointments

It’s important to understand the difference between a Pre-operative appointment and a Pre-anesthesia appointment.

At a Pre-operative (Pre-op) appointment, you will sit down with the surgeon or a member of the surgical team who explains everything you need to know about the procedure and what to expect during the day of surgery, your hospital stay and recovery. The surgeon typically reviews your medical history and helps identify any special considerations that need to be addressed.

Separate from the Pre-op visit, some surgical patients — typically those who have multiple chronic conditions or complex medical histories or are undergoing high-risk surgery — will be contacted by UW Health to schedule an appointment with our Pre-anesthesia Clinic. This clinic provides an extra layer of scrutiny to be sure our anesthesia team sufficiently understands your medical history and specific needs to provide the best possible care and outcomes.

If you are selected to be seen in the Pre-anesthesia Clinic, you will be contacted between two and four weeks before the day of surgery to schedule an appointment. There, you will meet with a UW Health anesthesiologist who will thoroughly review your medical history and answer your questions. The anesthesia team might suggest additional testing to prepare you for surgery. They will also describe the anesthesia plan options and will plan for your post-operative pain management.