Primary care providers, including pediatricians, are frequently called on to evaluate and psychologically prepare patients and families before a child undergoes a procedure requiring anesthesia or sedation. This policy statement identifies that primary care provider’s preoperative goals of care are as follows: to clearly define the child’s medical issue; to delineate the physiologic effects and limitations imposed by each condition; and to optimize the management of any comorbid conditions. Furthermore, the policy recommends that pediatricians facilitate essential communication about the historical, physical, and laboratory findings in children with unusual or complex medical histories with the anesthesiologist and/or surgeon to ensure safe perioperative care.
Here at Bethany Pediatrics, we provide all pre-operative care and continue to work with our patients through full recovery.