The Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care at the University of Chicago has been a leader in the development of the Anesthesia Perioperative Medicine Clinic (APMC).
These goals are met by evaluating the patient in a clinic setting several days prior to their surgery. The patient meets with various members of the preoperative care team as appropriate. APMC staff include medical assistants, clerical staff, physician assistants, medical students, residents and attending anesthesiologists. A medical history and physical examination is performed if needed. Diagnostic tests are arranged. Blood work and electrocardiograms can be performed right in clinic. Occasionally additional consultation with other physicians is required. The anesthesiologist then formulates a preliminary anesthetic plan, discusses this with the patient and answers any questions. The clinic insures that the tests and consultations are arranged and that the results are reviewed by a physician. The visit may take 45 minutes for a generally healthy patient to over 2 hours for a medically complex patient.
Timely evaluation prior to their surgery allows the patient the opportunity to discuss their planned anesthesia in a much more relaxed environment. This opportunity is important for every patient and has been shown to significantly reduce preoperative anxiety. In fact, we have observed, that the more minor the procedure, the more concern is often expressed by the patient about the anesthesia for their planned surgery. The physician also can take as much time as required to assess the patient's needs. This focuses the use of resources, avoiding the historically applied approach to testing and referrals. It also avoids surprises on the day of surgery which lead to case delays while information is sought, and the potential cancellations associated with previously unidentified problems. The importance of this increases as the rate of outpatient surgery or same day admission surgery increases, now exceeding 60% of all procedures at the University.
The APMC is located in the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine (CAM) at the University of Chicago.
Appointments are scheduled Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. In addition to scheduled appointments a limited number of 'Walk-in' appointments are available to patients being seen in clinics in the CAM on a same day basis. A typical visit lasts from 45 minutes for a healthy patient to over 2 hours if the patient has many medical problems. Patients do NOT need to fast.
Patients are asked to bring a list of their medications, or the medicine bottles themselves, with them to the clinic. If they see a doctor outside of the University of Chicago it would be useful to bring the doctor's name, phone number, and copies of any recent tests done by that doctor to the clinic. If this information is current and the results are normal we will not repeat the tests.
Please call if you will be late or need to reschedule your appointment. After your visit you may also call if you have any additional questions about your anesthesia.
We would also like to hear about your comments on how we might make our clinic better, or if there was something you thought we did particularly well.
The APMC is located in 2C in the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine (the DCAM) at The University of Chicago.
Appointments are scheduled Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Clinic is open from 7:00-5:00 M, T, Th & F and 8:00-5:00 on Wednesday. In addition to scheduled appointments a limited number of 'Walk-in' appointments are available to patients being seen in surgical clinics in the DCAM on a same day basis. The DCAM is located on the south side of Chicago with easy access via expressways or public transportation and valet parking is available. (Click for directions)
The clinic is staffed by physicians of the Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care.
BobbieJean Sweitzer, M.D.
Director
