Patients must bring along the following list of items for hospitalization at Gleneagles Global Hospitals:

• A referral letter from your treating physician.
•  Original copies of identification such as Passport, Identity card, Birth certificate (for patients below 15 years), Driver’s license, etc.
• Guarantee letter from insurance company or employer (applicable to international companies that have credit arrangements with our hospitals).
•  Previous medical reports e.g. X-Ray, Laboratory Reports, Blood Test Results, etc, if any.
•  A list of all medication and the dosage that you are presently taking, if any. Outside medicines are not allowed, the routine medications will be administered by the hospital.
•  Any forms or letters with regard to your payment which that were not submitted.
• To make your stay more comfortable, we encourage our patients to bring along their own nightwear for any inpatient procedures.
•  Clothes and comfortable footwear to wear. The hospital may provide a gown to wear for the patients during their stay.
• A mobile phone with charger.
• Personal toiletries like toothbrush, tooth paste, soap, shampoo, etc.

If you have any special requirements that you would like to discuss before your admission, please contact our International Relationship Manager and keep us informed well in advance.

The patients are also encouraged to bring some of their personal items such as spectacles, hearing aids etc., but advised to refrain from bringing expensive jewelry, watches, large sums of cash, other such valuables, medications from home, outside food, fruits and flowers. Please take care of your passport, visa and other such documents in your care. We encourage you to come light and only with the most essential items to make your stay easy and hassle-free.

We at Gleneagles Global Hospitals, believe that emotional support and well-being are equally important to a person’s recovery. And therefore, encourage you to bring along one care-giver who is available with you at all times. This caregiver should be a close relative or family member or a personal friend. We allow visitors at designated hours. The visitors are, however, discouraged to visit patients in intensive care or undergoing critical procedure for the benefit of the patient. Also, visitors must keep in mind other patient rights and their own responsibilities while visiting.

The ideal expectation for everyone leaving the hospital is complete for a disease or disorder. However, in most cases, especially for major procedures or disorders a hospital stay may be to achieve a lesser, but more specific objective. A patient is therefore encouraged to learn & understand the expected outcomes of the hospitalization. Patients must understand that in most cases, the end of hospitalization is not necessarily the end of the treatment cycle. Subsequent visits may be necessary or you may be on medication. p>

The surgeon expected to perform your surgery will have a detailed conversation with you on the need and process of the surgery. The surgeon will be assisted by a team of specialized nurses, paramedics and other specialists. Each surgery will have a specialist surgeon who heads the operation, assisted by other specialists based on requirements. An anesthetist will monitor your conscious levels and administer necessary pain medication.

On the day of the surgery a patient is moved to a pre-operation area and prepped for surgery. This includes changing into sterile surgical robes, intubation (if necessary) and final investigations. Patients may be asked to refrain from consuming food from the midnight on the day of the surgery. Any other precautions will be communicated well ahead of time.

Unexpected changes in the surgical schedule may happen sometimes. This may lead to change in your surgery timing on the day of surgery. Your family members, friends will be asked to wait in the surgical waiting room or the hospital lobby during your surgery. After being shifted in the operating room by the nurse, several monitors will be applied to monitor heart rate and rhythm. Three small sticky patches would be placed on your chest and an automatic blood pressure cuff will be placed on the arm.

Things to Remember Before Surgery

• Do not eat, drink (not even water) after midnight the day before your surgery. If you have been instructed to take important medications, take no more than two tablespoons of water and no later than two hours before surgery. If you eat or drink after midnight, your surgery may be delayed or will be cancelled.
• Do not wear hairpins, watches, contact lenses, or removable jewelry. If you wear a wig please remove.
• You may be asked to remove dentures and other non-permanent items including undergarments before surgery.
• If you are admitted to the hospital after your surgery, you may want to bring pajamas or nightgown, slippers, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant and other personal toiletries, etc.

The choice of pain-relievers and anesthesia is decided based on the nature of surgery, patient’s condition and the recovery options post-surgery. The patient or the caregivers will be informed of the same their consent recorded. For critical surgeries general anesthesia is preferred while local anesthesia is the option for smaller, more localized procedures. For surgeries wherein a larger area is to be operated but a general anesthesia is either unviable for difficult a spinal anesthesia will be given.

Typically, an overnight stay in the post-surgical intensive care allows a patient to recover sufficiently from the surgery. With anesthesia waning the patient may experience mild grogginess, pain etc. This is completely normal.

Following surgery, you will be taken to a recovery room where you will receive continuous care by a trained nurse. Your vital signs will be regularly monitored along with any dressing that was applied after surgery. You may experience dry mouth, a sore throat, chills and blurred vision. If you experience pain or discomfort in the area of your surgery, do not hesitate to ask for pain medication. Be sure to report your pain. Doctors will monitor the vitals and move the patient to an intensive care, normal ward or room as necessary.

Your family members/friends should be in the waiting room before the end of your surgery time so that the surgeon can speak to them. If they need to leave, it is best to do so at the beginning of your surgery to avoid missing the surgeon at the completion of your surgery. Your surgeon will let your family/friend know how you are doing and answer questions, letting them know whether you require hospitalization or whether you will be discharged home.