Surgery and Procedure FAQs

COVID can be present even if you are asymptomatic. Testing each patient before a surgery/procedure minimizes the risk of spreading the virus.

A test conducted within the Yale New Haven Health System ensures an accurate, high-standard result. For your surgery/procedure cases, your results will be readily available to your physician and care team.

You must be tested within two (2) to three (3) calendar days before your scheduled surgery/procedure.

There are several testing sites located throughout the health system. You may have your test at any of the Yale New Haven Health COVID testing tents. Sites are located in Greenwich, Bridgeport, Milford, New Haven and New London in Connecticut, with an additional site in Westerly, Rhode Island. Additionally, there are multiple Designated Lab Draw Stations located at sites throughout Connecticut and New York for asymptomatic pre-surgical/procedural COVID testing.

COVID Testing Locations

Most testing tent sites are open seven (7) days per week, including weekends and holidays. Yale New Haven Health Lab Draw Stations are open Monday-Saturday.

You must be tested as close to the surgery/procedure as possible to ensure to make sure that you do not have COVID-19.

If you are a MyChart user, you will receive a message from us 7-10 days before your surgery/procedure date with a link to schedule your own COVID test appointment at a location, date and time that bests suits you. The options provided for your testing appointment will within be two (2) three (3) of your scheduled surgery/procedure.

If you are not a MyChart user, one of our healthcare members will contact you directly 5 days before your surgery/procedure date. If you do not receive a phone call to schedule a COVID screening appointment and it is three (3) days before your surgery/procedure, please call the YNHHS COVID Hotline Call Center at (833)- ASK-YNHH (833)-275-9644 to assist with scheduling 7 days per week 7am-7pm.

No. For your safety and for the appropriate timing of your COVID test, it is very important that you do not arrive at a Yale New Haven Testing site without an appointment.

When our schedulers contact you 5 days before your surgery/procedure date with your appointment for the test, tell them that you do not have transportation. Our team can coordinate an alternative way for you to be tested.

Yes. Currently this is the only reliable test.

For your safety and for the safety of other patients, your surgery/procedure will be rescheduled until your testing is completed and resulted.

You will get your results in MyChart. Your physician’s office will be notified you only if you have a positive result. If you are positive, do not arrive for your scheduled surgery/procedure until you have had a discussion with your physician about your plan.

Your surgery/procedure may need to be rescheduled. We want you to have a safe surgery/procedure. However, there are special circumstances that do require a surgical procedure, even with a positive test result. You and your physician will discuss your specific care plan. If you test positive for COVID 19, do not arrive for your scheduled surgery/procedure until you have had a discussion with your physician about your plan.

Call the YNHHS COVID Hotline Call Center at (833)- ASK-YNHH (833)-275-9644 to assist with scheduling 7 days per week 7am-7pm.

Follow CDC guidelines:

• Stay least six feet away from others
• Wash your hands frequently and wear a mask at all times in public places
• Avoid contact with others outside of your immediate household members and avoid leaving your home as much as possible.

You must still arrive for your scheduled COVID screening test.

Notify your physician is you have a fever that is greater than 100.5, new respiratory symptoms (such as cough or shortness of breath), sore throat, and/or the loss of smell or taste.

You will receive a message the afternoon prior to your scheduled surgery/procedure with details of your arrival time and parking instructions. Follow all pre-surgical/procedural instructions provided by your physician and/or preadmission testing provider.

Please bring a form of ID. You may bring a cell phone, cell phone charger, glasses, contacts, hearing aids, dentures, toiletries and clothing as needed. We encourage you to leave any valuables at home and only bring what is necessary. The perioperative nursing team will safely store your belongings in a sealable plastic bag labeled with your name and place it in a locked closet during your procedure. The perioperative nursing team will retrieve your belongings once you are in the recovery room and bring the bag to your bedside.

We have put a number of safety measures in place to keep you safe:

• Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing in hospital rooms and public areas
• Our premises and all instruments are disinfected or sterilized following a rigorous protocol
• Patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 are cared for in designated areas, separate from patients without COVID-19
• Minimizing lines during your check-in process
• Social distancing implemented in places such as cafeterias and elevators

All YNHHS staff are screened for COVID-19. All staff in our facility will be wearing masks.

Yes. If you do not have a mask we will provide you and your designated visitor with a mask during your arrival process.

If you are having an overnight stay, your one visitor can accompany you to the pre-surgical/procedural area and then must leave.

Inpatient care areas currently have a “no visitor” policy at Yale New Haven Health System for inpatient care, with slight exceptions as noted below:

• Children
• Special-needs patients
• Patients with a prolonged hospital stay may have one visitor during specific designated hours from 2 pm-6 pm

We understand and regret the anxiety that these rules create for our patients; however, keeping all of our patients safe from COVID-19 must be our first commitment.

Visitor guidelines vary by surgery/procedure location. Contact your doctor or refer to the pre-surgery/procedure instructions provided by your care team for current guidelines. In locations where a visitor is permitted, he or she will be screened and temperature checked on entry. 

Bridgeport Hospital

We do not allow designated drivers/support persons to wait inside the hospital. Your support person may wait in their car or leave the hospital premises. We encourage enrollment in our Family Touch program. This is a program that allows text messaging to contacts you have identified who will receive text messaging from the nurses updating them on your progress. For example, they should receive a text your surgery/procedure has started, you have arrived in the recovery room and you are ready for discharge with a contact number to call for information.

Greenwich Hospital

The designated driver/family member must wait outside the hospital.

L + M Hospital or Westerly Hospital

Family is currently asked to wait either home or somewhere comfortable for them with their phone number left for both the physician and hospital staff.

Yale New Haven Hospital

Same-day surgery/procedures at York Street and Saint Raphael campuses:
One support person/visitor may accompany you for same-day surgery/procedures. They will be screened and temperature checked on entry. All waiting areas are set up to provide social distancing to ensure visitors and patients are safe. If you are having an overnight stay, your one visitor can accompany you to the pre-surgical/procedural area and then must leave.

Same-day surgery/procedures at Shoreline Surgery Center:
We do not allow designated drivers/support persons to wait inside the Center pre-surgery/procedure or during the surgery/procedure. Your one support person may wait in their car and may visit you post-surgery/procedure in our recovery area.

Follow CDC guidelines:

• Stay at least six feet away from others.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Wear a mask at all times in public places.
• Avoid contact with others outside of your immediate household members and avoid leaving your home as much as possible.

Your provider’s office will be in contact with you as part of your post-discharge planning.