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The following page is available for your
convenience by clicking on this link:
4-step plan (Brochure available here)
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Figuring it Out
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Preparation for the Day
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Making it a Reality
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After the Surgery
Traveling to Arizona for Surgery
Now that you’ve decided to
travel to Dr. Lee for surgery, here are the instructions to begin the process.
The process is divided into 4 phases:
A.
Figuring it Out- Sending information to Dr. Lee and speaking with him
prior to surgery
B.
Preparation for the Day- Setting the date for surgery, arranging
insurance or payment for surgery, Arrange for accommodations
C.
Making it a Reality- Having the surgery
D.
After the Surgery- Taking care of your foot after surgery
It is important to follow
these steps if you wish to have a great experience towards restoring your feet.
A. Figuring It Out
It is important to meet Dr.
Lee to determine which technique he will use to restore your feet. Whether by
phone or in-person (your choice) this step is vital and must be followed
precisely. Why? Because you are unique and Dr. Lee knows that each person has
specific needs, desires, and expectations. These need to be discussed before
planning any life-changing event. You will need to send Dr. Lee this information
PRIOR to any specific discussion. Then he will be able to give you specifics
about the extent of surgery, the estimate costs, the time of healing and the
typical healing time. Here we go…
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Required clinical documents:
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A clear, well exposed photo of your affected foot
top and side views.
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X-rays: Taken within 6 months. Must be actual copies
or originals, or if your doctor has digital x-rays then you can send a
CD (the doctor MUST include the viewing software that allows measurement
of the angles and lengths)
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Fill out Dr. Lee’s Office Administration forms:
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Patient Registration, Medical History, Insurance
Assignment, Financial Policy
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Financial Information
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If you have health insurance:
i.
An ENLARGED copy of your insurance card
(front and back) and copy of your driver’s license
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If you are paying for the surgery then make a
request for an estimated cost of surgery.
i.
We accept Cash, Visa, American Express,
Discover, or MasterCard. We do not accept checks.
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Set up a Phone Consultation and confirm receipt of your information- Arrange
for this at least one month prior to the expected surgical date
Please note that it is expected that you call us to
set up the appointment and verify that we have received your information.
Please do not email this information. You must
send it by mail to our office address listed below.
Important Numbers and
Information:
Office: (602) 340-8686 Fax:
(602) 258-6171
Email:
davidklee@cox.net
Please send ALL information
BY MAIL ONLY to our Phoenix office:
South West Foot Institute
Attention: Dr. David Lee
1300 N 12th St, Suite 518, Phoenix, AZ 85006
Okay! Now you are ready to
talk with Dr. Lee for a special one-on-one conversation about YOU. We’ll figure
out what needs to be done to Restore your feet, how long the procedure will
take, how long you will need to spend in Arizona, estimated time to complete
recovery, and what to do next. We’re certain that you will come out of this
phone call excited and hopeful.
Ready?
Let’s go to the next phase…
B. Preparation for the Day
Now that Dr. Lee knows what
he needs to do to Restore your feet. It’s time to make preparations for The
Day. You need to call his surgical planner, set the date, then start making
arrangements to travel, accommodations, surgery finances and post-surgery follow
up visits. Here’s the check off list…
1. Set the date-
Call (602) 340-8686 ext. 102 and ask for the surgical scheduler. This should be
done well in advance (3-4 weeks) to allow time for insurance authorization and
convenient surgery dates
2.
Arrange for travel to Arizona
i.
Arrange to fly to Sky Harbor Airport (PHX).
Only 15 minutes from our Phoenix office.
ii.
Length of Stay: Consult Dr. Lee for the
exact length of stay in Phoenix. As a guideline…
iii.
Hotels: We have found that each person
has specific expectations and financial considerations regarding hotel and
flight arrangements. Therefore, we do not assist in any travel arrangements. We
suggest that you use
www.Yahoo.com travel section or another travel company to find a hotel
location within a close distance to the surgery center or office. Some of the
best prices have been found on
www.Hotels.com .
1.
Surgery center locations:
a.
Insurance: Union Hills Surgery Center (Zip- 85308) near out Glendale
office
b.
Cash/Credit: SurgiCenter of Phoenix (Zip- 85006) near out Phoenix office
2.
At your hotel you want to make advanced arrangements for getting ice to
your room. Arrange with the concierge to have ice delivered to your room when
needed.
3.
It’s nice to have a room with a refrigerator so you can store some foods
and beverages.
4.
Before making hotel arrangements, ask the hotel whether they are close to
any grocery stores, convenience stores and restaurants so you can get easy
access to these places.
iv.
**You must arrange for another person to
travel with you to and from the surgery center. The surgery center will not
allow any surgeries unless you have another adult accompany and provide
transportation for you. We recommend that you have someone stay with you for at
least the first few days
v.
**You must be present for the
pre-operative consent appointment which occurs 1 day prior to the surgery.
vi.
Arrange for transportation: Rental car is
best. Talk with the surgical planner to see where your surgery will be at.
3. Get Medical
Clearance
(No Exceptions):
i.
Arrange with your general practice doctor
for a full history and physical and lab work. This should be done approximately
1-2 weeks prior to the surgery, unless you have a health history that is
complicated and requires extensive clearance. (If you’re on more than one
medication or if your medical condition is complex then talk to Dr. Lee to
determine what type of clearance you need.)
ii.
Notify Dr. Lee’s office of your doctor’s
contact information so he can send them the request for surgical clearance.
4. Post-Surgical
Follow Up (No Exceptions):
Dr. Lee prefers that you follow up with him after the surgery until you are
healed. Please see “Post-operative Follow Up” info sheet.
i.
If you are unable to return to Phoenix
for follow up and final discharge to
full activities then you should arrange for follow up with a doctor in your
area.
You must make arrangements with a surgeon in your area BEFORE arriving
in Phoenix for surgery. If you do not have a pre-arranged appointment with a
surgeon by the day of surgery, Dr. Lee cannot perform the surgery and will be
forced to cancel the surgery even if you have already flown to Arizona.
Now your
ready for The Day…
C. The Day
Well you’ve made it this
far and have anticipated this day for many years. You are going to fly into Sky
Harbor Airport in the morning one day prior to surgery. Typically you will go to
Dr. Lee’s Phoenix office for consent in the afternoon. You should have received
the copy of the Consent forms along with prescriptions that you should have
filled while at home. Therefore the consent process will be fairly quick so you
can get back to your hotel, eat and rest for the upcoming surgery.
D. After the
Surgery
When
the surgery is over your foot will be numb from the anesthetic. You are
required to have an authorized adult pick you up from the surgical facility and
have adult supervision through the first evening. You should start
taking your pain medications the moment you get back to your room. Pain
medications take over an hour to start working so it’s better to build up the
levels of pain medication in your body BEFORE the numbing wears off. Take your
prescriptions as directed by Dr. Lee. If you should need help or have questions
please call Dr. Lee right away. Don’t wait. Dr. Lee is always very concerned
about your care and will give you his personal cell phone number the day before
the surgery so you should contact him without hesitation.
You will see Dr. Lee for at
least one post-operative visit and then he will clear you to go home. If you
have chosen not to follow up with Dr. Lee then you should see a doctor in your
area that will see you for follow up management of your surgery. You should
have arranged for this prior to coming to Phoenix to make certain that they are
willing to do this. Dr. Lee will provide written instructions for your
post-operative care. If there are situations that arise regarding your care for
which you have questions always contact Dr. Lee to have them properly answered.
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