When you have to have surgery, our goal at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen is to provide the best possible medical care and a restful recovery. If your surgery can be performed through our Day Surgery Center, you can spend the night at home with your family instead of at the hospital. You save time and money -- while maintaining the peace of mind that your surgery is being performed in a major medical center. Valley Baptist's Day Surgery Center is staffed by an experienced health care team.

Our center is a one-day surgical facility developed cooperatively by our surgeons, anesthesiologists and the medical staff to provide quality surgical procedures at a cost less than conventional hospitalization. Valley Baptist-Harlingen’s 30-bed Day Surgery Center is located in the attractive East Tower, which opened in 1998.

Important things to keep in mind for Day Surgery Patients

Your understanding and cooperation with the instructions given below will enhance your safety and comfort.

Your Pre-Operative Appointment

1. Your physician's office will contact the hospital to set the time and date for your surgery and pre-operative visit.

2. Your pre-operative visit will occur one to 14 days prior to your scheduled surgery.

3. Please make arrangements to allow at least one to two hours for your pre-operative visit.

4. The Day Surgery Center staff will obtain a medical history from you.

5. It is important to know exactly what medications you are taking. Please bring a list of ALL MEDICATIONS you take and the dosages, or bring in the labeled pill bottles.

6. If lab work is required for your surgery, it will be performed during your visit.

7. A chest X-ray and EKG will be done if ordered by your physician.

8. The Day Surgery staff will perform a physical assessment, discuss your surgery, and give you pre-operative instructions.

We welcome and encourage you to ask any questions you might have about any phase of your surgery. If an emergency arises making it impossible to keep your pre-operative appointment, call Pre-Admitting Services at (956) 389-1862.

If for some reason you cannot keep your scheduled surgery time, please call the Day Surgery Center at (956) 389-1861.