General Surgery

General surgery is a specialty that focuses mainly on the abdomen, and the organs and tissues that are located there. This includes: stomach, esophagus, bowel, liver, pancreas, appendix, etc. General surgeons also deal with diseases that involve soft tissue, the skin, breasts, hernias and others. At HHCC, four general surgeons are on call on a rotating basis for our Emergency Department as well.

Access our Surgical Safety Checklist rates 

Your appointment

On the day of your scheduled surgery, please proceed to Registration in the Joan and Paul Waechter Welcome Centre main entry. In order to prevent any delays, please ensure that your Ontario Health Card is readily available.

After checking in, you will be directed to the Surgery Waiting Room located on the main level.

At admission, you will meet with a nurse who will ensure that you're prepared both physically and emotionally for your procedure. Our primary goal is to ensure that you feel comfortable about your surgical experience, therefore, please do not hesitate to ask any questions that you may have.

You will also be asked to provide information on:

• your medical history
• current medications, supplements and herbal remedies including dosage and frequency
• allergies
• special needs i.e. hearing aids

For your safety, all Day Surgery patients are not permitted to drive home and MUST have someone available to stay with them overnight after receiving and anesthetic. 

Day Surgery patients must ensure the person driving them home remains in the hospital during their procedure.

Information regarding what to expect after surgery and any special instructions are given. If you are unsure of anything, please ask questions.

Next you will be escorted to the Operating Room (OR) holding area by the OR Nurse who again assesses you and checks the chart for completeness. The Anaesthetist will visit you to ask questions and start the IV if not already done. This is the specially trained physician who administers your medication and monitors your breathing, heart rate and blood pressure during surgery.
 
The Surgical Team headed by your Surgeon is a group of specially trained professionals that provide a safe environment and perform your procedure.