Alcohol, drugs, medications and substance involvement

During your pre-surgical screening appointment you will be asked about your use of alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs, over the counter medication and non-prescription drugs or ‘psychoactive’ substances such as marijuana, crystal meth or cocaine. It is extremely important to tell us of your use of all alcohol and drugs both legal and illegal so that we can plan your care and improve the safety of your surgical experience.

The use of any of these psychoactive substances can  interact, sometimes negatively, with anesthesia or can seriously affect how we manage your pain  after surgery. The improper use of medications or non-prescription drugs may also affect your overall wellbeing or specific body systems such as your heart or lungs.

Hospital employees must maintain your health information as confidential and only those team members that are involved with your care have a right to access this information. The hospital has strict policies about disclosure of information and who is able to disclose and how that happens.

Together, we will work to achieve the best outcomes of your surgery. If you have questions about the disclosure policies please speak with your nurse during your interview.