Patient Resources

Welcome to Otay Lakes Surgery Center, dedicated to providing excellence in outpatient surgery. OLSC is a customer-focused, service-oriented surgery center conveniently located off Telegraph Otay Lakes Road and CA-125.

We ask that you take a minute and read these pages which contain important information about your surgery. And please, remember…we are here to serve you, and want to make your surgical experience as comfortable as possible. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact our staff at

Pre-operative Testing

Many patients are required to have tests prior to surgery. You will receive instructions and orders for pre-operative testing from your surgeon. Tests may include:

• Laboratory work (within four weeks of your scheduled surgery date)
• EKG (within three months)
• Chest X-ray (within six months)

Please have all test results faxed to Otay Lakes Surgery Center at 858-754-2251 prior to the date of your surgery.

Diet 

Food or liquid in your stomach may cause your surgery to be postponed or cancelled. Please follow these guidelines:

• The night before your surgery, do not eat anything after 9 p.m. and do not drink anything after midnight
• If your surgery is scheduled at 1 p.m. or later, you may have ONE cup (8 oz.) of water before 8 a.m.
• Have a light dinner and limit alcohol intake the evening prior to your surgery
• Cessation of smoking 24 hours prior to surgery is recommended as beneficial to your post-operative recovery

Preparing for Surgery 

Please arrive at the center one hour prior to your scheduled surgery time, unless instructed otherwise by surgery center personnel. If possible, on the day of surgery, remain at a phone where you can be reached. Please bring any orders from your doctor, X-rays or other items to be used at the center.

A consent form will be signed upon your arrival. If a patient is under the age of 18, the consent must be signed by a parent or guardian. Parents must remain at the center until their child is discharged. If you are a conservator for a patient, please bring copies of your medical power of attorney. Once you have been registered, you will be admitted to the pre-operative area where you will be prepared for surgery by a nurse and assessed by an anesthesiologist.

Since we have limited space in our reception area, we ask that only one family member or friend accompany you. Please leave young children and siblings at home.

Dress 

Remove any contact lenses. Do wear your glasses and bring a case for storage while you are in surgery. Wear comfortable, loose clothing and low-heeled shoes. A gown will be provided during your stay at the center. Leave all jewelry at home. All body jewelry must be removed.

Time of Stay 

Generally, most patients remain in the post-anesthesia care unit for at least one hour after completion of surgery. However, you may require additional time.

You will not be able to drive. A responsible adult must be available to drive you home approximately one hour after your surgery. You will not be allowed to return home without a responsible adult.

Post-op Restrictions 

If you are having an anesthetic, you should plan to have a responsible adult family member or friend remain with you the first 24 hours following surgery.

You may feel dizzy or drowsy after your surgery. For your comfort and safety, do not drive or drink alcoholic beverages for the rest of the day. You will receive post-operative instructions from your doctor prior to leaving the center. Follow these instructions carefully. If you have problems after returning home, call your doctor’s office.

A nurse from Otay Lakes Surgery Center will contact you at home to check on you condition. Please address any concerns at that time.

If there is an emergency DO NOT wait for the nurse to contact you! Call 911 or drive to the nearest emergency room.

Please limit your activities for a few days after your procedure. You should consult your physician prior to returning to work and resuming normal activities

Billing 

Insurance verification and surgery authorization must be completed prior to the date of your surgery to avoid cancellation. Should you have a co-pay or unpaid portion of your deductible, you will be contacted by our billing office prior to your surgery. Co-payments and deductibles are the patient’s responsibility and are due in full prior to surgery. On the day of surgery, please bring in your method of payment (cash, check or credit card). The center accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. You may also apply for Care Credit, a line of credit offered by the facility to cover the patient responsibility.

As a courtesy to our patients, our business office will bill your primary and secondary insurance carriers if you have provided us with the appropriate insurance information. Please bring your insurance identification card and drivers license to help insure that we have the correct information.

You or your insurance carrier will receive bills from:
Otay Lakes Surgery Center
Your surgeon
Your anesthesiologist
Lab (if blood was drawn or a tissue specimen was removed for evaluation)