Surgical procedures can be frightening, and the more you know, the better you’ll feel as your procedure approaches.

AAMGI and its physicians take your well-being very seriously and want to do everything we can to ensure your safety and comfort.

Risks

All operations and anesthesia involve some element of risk. All AAMGI physicians are highly trained experts in the management of your anesthesia. This is why your anesthesiologist reviews your health status and medical history. Even though precautions are taken to minimize the risk, there is always risk associated with a surgical procedure and anesthesia. The most common complication is nausea and vomiting. Your anesthesiologist may give you medication to lessen this effect.

The inhalation of stomach contents into the lungs is a more serious complication. This is why it is critical that you not eat or drink anything after midnight prior to your surgery. This includes milk or orange juice.

There is always risk that a tooth or bridge may be chipped or broken during safety or protective procedures related to your anesthesia. Please tell your anesthesiologist of any special dental appliances, caps, partial bridges or dental disease that you may have. Please contact our office as soon as possible if you experience injury to teeth, caps, bridges, crowns or any other dental appliance as a result of the surgery.

Please tell your anesthesiologist of any symptoms of a respiratory condition, cold or drug allergy.

What Your Anesthesiologist Needs to Know

  • Any medical problems you have or have had in the past
  • Medications you are taking
  • If you smoke or drink alcohol, how much, and how often
  • Any drug allergies
  • Any previous problems with anesthesia or any family history of problems with anesthesia

Preparing for Surgery

  • Do not eat or drink anything after midnight prior to your surgery.
  • Take any regularly scheduled morning heart and blood pressure medications on the day of surgery with a small sip of water. If you are a chronic pain patient, you may also take your morning dose of pain medications on the day of surgery with a small sip of water.
  • Bring a list of all medications with you (unless instructed by your physician or healthcare provider to bring your actual medications).
  • Stop any over-the-counter supplements and herbals, as well as diet pills 2 weeks before surgery.
  • At the very minimum, stop smoking at least 24 hours prior to surgery. Stopping for six to eight weeks before surgery is best.

After Any Procedure Involving Anesthesia

  • Do not drink alcohol or use nonprescription medications unless approved by your physician
  • Do not drive a car or operate machinery
  • Do not make any important decisions

Billing Information

AAMGI bills separately for professional services provided by our physicians from the facility at which the services are performed. The facility at which your surgery or procedure is performed will provide AAMGI with your health insurance information. We will use this information to bill for our services. We will bill you for co-payments, deductibles and other amounts not covered by insurance. We will also bill you if you don’t have or don’t provide health insurance information to the facility at which your surgery or procedure is performed. If the surgery or procedure performed is not covered by health insurance (for example, a cosmetic procedure) or if you decline to provide health insurance information, you may be responsible for payment on the date services are provided as specified by the facility or doctor’s office where services are performed, or you may be billed for the procedure and our services. AAMGI accepts most types of insurance.

If you are unsure about your insurance coverage or have other questions, please contact our billing company office at (707) 522-7540. If you are a self-pay patient, please call our office to discuss payment at (707) 524-4686.

We accept the following types of payment for our services:

  • Credit Cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express)
  • Checks or Money Orders hand delivered to our business office or mailed to the address indicated on the invoice for our services