Orthopedics

OSU Medicine has built the most comprehensive and accessible program in eastern Oklahoma for persons living with HIV and AIDS. At the Internal Medicine Specialty Services clinic, we have four providers certified in HIV treatment and a network of more than 40 health care and support service providers. Our mission is to address the unique and essential needs of each patient and promote long-term, consistent treatment which can result in improved energy, a healthier immune system, reduced physical ailments as well as an undetectable viral load.

Surgery Order
Once you and your surgeon have decided that surgery is the best option for treatment, an order will be placed to get you on the surgery schedule.

Medical Clearance
You may require medical clearance prior to being scheduled for surgery. If a clearance is required, you must obtain a written letter from the necessary provider.

• Common specialists you may be asked to obtain clearance from are:
• Pulmonologists for severe COPD.
• Cardiologists for heart disease, stroke, blood disorders, or blood clots.
• Neurologists for seizures.
• Nephrologists for kidney disease.
• Endocrinologists for diabetes.
• Gastroenterologists for hepatitis, or liver disease.
• Primary care providers for conditions they manage.

Pre-Authorizations
Workers’ Compensation, Indian Health Services, and motor vehicle accident insurances must be preauthorized before you can be scheduled. Once that pre-authorization has been obtained, you will be contacted to schedule.

Commercial Insurance Authorization
Commercial insurances have different authorization requirements unique to your policy. After a surgery is scheduled, we will check on the authorization with your insurance company, and if an authorization is required, we will start that process.

Surgery Date
After we receive any necessary medical clearances, and pre-authorizations, a surgery scheduler will contact you to schedule your surgery date. Our clinic and the surgery facility will contact you prior to your surgery with more information and instructions. The time for your arrival to the hospital will not be given to you until the day before your surgery.

Durable Medical Equipment (DME)
Depending on the type of surgery, your surgeon may want you to use a brace or sling postoperatively. If so, you will either be notified by our clinic to schedule an appointment for the fitting or you will receive your fitting after surgery at the facility where your surgery is performed.

Medication
If needed, a prescription for post surgical pain will be sent to the pharmacy you give us. Please make sure that we have your most current pharmacy on file. This medication will be available on the day of your surgical procedure. If there are any issues with your prescription, please call our clinic at 918-631-8877 during business hours.

If you have not met your deductible or have coinsurance, please expect a call from our surgery prepayment department within 2-3 weeks prior to your scheduled surgery date for pre-collection on your surgery procedure. Please note, this fee will be separate from any hospital or facility charges. If you have signed an ABN (Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage), you should expect a call for payment prior to surgery. If you are having an MRI, injection or any other type of procedure, please be advised that prepayment will be due prior to or at the time of service. If you have any questions please contact our office.

Do not stop taking blood pressure, diabetic, and other prescribed medications other than blood thinners. You will be advised at your pre-op appointment or phone interview when to stop these medications before surgery. If you have any questions whether it is safe to stop a medication, check with your prescribing physician.

Blood Thinners: If you are on a blood thinner (anticoagulant) or anti-platelet medication, you must stop these medications prior to surgery. Follow your prescribing physician’s recommendation on the number of days to stop before surgery. Do not restart until your physician advises it is safe to resume. Some of these common medications include: Aggrenox, Apixaban, Cilostazol, Clopidogrel, Coumadin, Dipradam, Dipridacot, Dipuridamole, Dupyridamole, Elipquis, Jantoven, Permole, Perstantine, Pletal, Plavix, Pradaxa, Rivaroban, Xarelto, Warfarin.

ADHD medication: such as Adderall should be stopped for the day of surgery only.

GLP-1 injections: This includes Ozempic, Mounjaro, Byetta and Victoza must be stopped two weeks prior to surgery.

Phentermine: This should be stopped seven days before surgery.

Sedatives and similar medications: These can have an adverse reaction with anesthesia and should be avoided before surgery. Examples include Carisoprodol (Soma), Cheracol, Diagesic, Duragesic, Etrafon, Lioresal, Magasal, Micrainin and Parnate.

Aspirin, anti-inflammatory medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements: These must be stopped 7 days prior to surgery.

Post-OP Discharge Packet –

Post-op instructions will be listed in the discharge packet that you receive from the surgery facility. Please make sure you receive them and ask any questions you may have before you leave the surgery facility.

Prescription Information –

Please pick up any prescriptions immediately after you are discharged from the surgery facility. Post-op prescriptions are ordered by our clinic and not the surgery facility.

If you have any concerns about your prescriptions, call our clinic immediately and do not pick up your medication from the pharmacy. Once a medication is picked up, we cannot change it.

If no preferred pharmacy location is listed in your chart, or if your preferred pharmacy can’t fill the medication, then the prescription will be sent to Walgreens Pharmacy, 717 S. Houston Ave., Tulsa, phone 918-585-1957.

Per the Oklahoma guidelines for a surgeon’s office, we are only allowed to provide two 7-day prescriptions. If you require additional pain medication, please contact your primary care provider for assistance with a new prescription.

Please take all medications as prescribed. Refills will not be available through our office until after 7 days.