Preparing for Surgery

A Comfortable Surgical Experience

At Canton-Potsdam Hospital (CPH), Gouverneur Hospital (GH), and Massena Hospital (MH), we realize surgery may be a new experience for you, so we have compiled the following information to better prepare you and your support person(s) for your surgical procedure. 

Our goal is to make you as comfortable and as safe as possible before, during, and after your surgery. Please feel free to ask questions at any point during your stay with us. You may be asked to complete a survey after you go home; we hope you will highly rate your experience and recommend our services to your friends and family.

Pre-Surgical Screening 

Make sure you complete any pre-op testing or medical consults ordered by your surgeon or provider. 

Please request that any pre-op testing and medical consult notes be faxed to your surgeon’s office AND to the hospital's Pre-Op Department.
CPH fax: (315) 261-5037
GH fax: (315) 535-9322
MH fax: (315) 769-4618

The pre-surgical screening nurse will call or meet with you prior to your scheduled surgery to review your health history and current medication list. The information we gather will help us prepare for your care; you will have an opportunity to ask questions and tell us your concerns. If you have any questions about your pre-op nurse visit please call Pre-Op Scheduling - CPH: (315) 261-5332; GH: (315) 287-1000; MH: (315) 769-4306 or (315) 769-4212.

Contact your surgeon's office if your condition has changed (cold, fever, rash, other illness or if there is any possibility of pregnancy). The day of surgery, women of childbearing age will be asked to provide a urine specimen for a pregnancy test.

CPH Patients: You will be called the business day prior to your procedure between 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm with your check-in time. If you have not heard from us by 4:00 pm or if you have questions about your time, please call Surgical Services directly at (315) 261-5975.
GH Patients: You will be called the business day prior to your procedure between the hours of 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm with your check-in time. If you have not heard from us by 4:00 pm or if you have any questions, please call Surgical Services directly at (315) 535-9273.
MH Patients: You will be called the business day prior to your procedure between 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm with your check-in time. If you have not heard from us by 3:00 pm or if you have questions about your time, please call Surgical Services directly at (315) 769-4212 before 3:30 pm.

Surgery Packing Checklist

On the day of surgery, bring with you: 

  1. Your Insurance card and driver's license/photo ID
  2. List of current medication
  3. Case for storing your glasses/contact lenses, dentures or hearing aids (these will be removed before surgery)
  4. Court of guardianship paperwork
  5. Copy of any Advance Directives you may have (e.g. Health Care Proxy, Living Will or MOLST form)
  6. If you have sleep apnea and have a CPAP or BIPAP machine, please bring it with you even for day surgeries.
  7. Please do not bring any valuables.

How to Prepare for Surgery

Follow these instructions and any additional or custom instructions your surgeon or provider gave you.

Arriving for Surgery

Please arrive at your scheduled check-in time.

At Canton-Potsdam Hospital - Free valet parking is available in the main lot at 50 Leroy Street from 6:00am - 3:00pm daily. Enter through the Hospital’s main doors and take an immediate left to the Express Registration window (directly across from the Gift Shop). Please stop here to receive your name band, even if you are pre-registered. Proceed down the ramp, turn left and head down the hallway until you get to the closed double doors. A single elevator is on your right. Take the elevator to the 4th floor and stop at the desk in the waiting room to inform us of your arrival.

If you are checking in after 2:00 pm or for certain procedures needing a pre-op x-ray, you will need to stop at the Registration Desk on the 1st floor at the bottom of the ramp when you enter the hospital. You will be reminded of this when you are called with your check-in time the afternoon before surgery. Any ordered blood work for the day of surgery will be done after you are admitted to your pre-op room on the 4th floor.

View a Map of Canton-Potsdam Hospital campus.

NOTE: If your procedure is scheduled at the Leroy Outpatient Center, report directly to the Center, located at the Hospital's main campus. 


At Gouverneur Hospital
- Parking is available in the main lot at 77 West Barney Street. Enter through the Hospital's main entrance and take a left to check-in at Patient Registration. You will be instructed as to where to proceed from this point.


At Massena Hospital
- Parking is available in main lot. Enter through the Hospital’s main doors and proceed to the Registration Desk directly in front of you. Please stop here to receive your name band, even if you are pre-registered. Proceed up the ramp to the right of Registration, follow the hallway to the left, and continue straight to the wooden door. Enter the elevator and proceed to the 2nd floor for surgical procedures. Follow the hall to your left, go through the glass door, and the ASU Reception window is on your left. If you are checking in after 2:00 pm or for certain procedures needing a pre-op x-ray, you will need to stop at the Registration Desk on the 1st floor at the bottom of the ramp when you enter the hospital. You will be reminded of this when you are called with your check-in time the afternoon before surgery. Any ordered blood work for the day of surgery will be done after you are admitted to your pre-op room on the 2nd floor.

NOTE: If you are having an endoscopy, take the elevator to the 3rd floor, and proceed to the Reception window directly ahead as you exit the elevator.

Frequently Asked Surgical Questions