Your ENT Clinic Visit

What Do I Bring To My Appointment?

Listed below are several important things you should bring to your visit:

• Imaging studies and test reports, such as CT scans, MRIs, PET scans, or swallow studies. If your imaging was performed at UAB Hospital, The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital, or UAB Hospital-Highlands, we already have these.
• A full list of your medications, including name, dosage, and how often you take it. Include any over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamins and/or herbal supplements.
• Medical records related to your visit with us. These may include pathology reports, clinic notes from referring providers, previous test results, or hospital discharge summaries.
• Contact information for your referring physician/primary care physician. If you want copies of your records sent to your referring and/or primary care physician, please confirm that the physician is in our system when you check in.
• Heart or lung condition? If you have a heart or lung condition and are being evaluated for possible surgery, please bring recent notes/documentation related to procedures and tests you’ve had (surgeries, stents, stress tests, ECHO, etc.). This information is helpful in evaluating your fitness for surgery.
• Insurance cards, ID card, and a way to pay your co-payment. These will be required at check-in.

When and Where Do I Go?

Our providers see patients on the first and second floors of The Kirklin Clinic (TKC) of UAB Hospital.

• Please see the clinic lists below to make sure you report to the correct location. If you have multiple appointments scheduled, you may be required to go to different locations.
  • If you are unsure about where to go, please call our office at 205-801-7801 and select option 1.
• Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment to allow time for parking and completing any necessary paperwork.
• You should expect your clinic visit to last 1-2 hours.
• Many of our providers perform surgery, so we kindly ask for your patience if wait times are longer than expected, due to emergencies or unforeseen delays.

TKC First-Floor ENT:

• Sinuses
• Head and neck endocrinology

TKC Second-Floor ENT:

• Head & neck surgery
• Allergy testing & treatment
• General ENT
• Laryngology – voice/breathing disorders
• Ear & hearing disorders
• Audiology
• Speech pathology
• Voice therapy

UAB Hoover ENT

• General ENT
• Facial plastics/cosmetic surgery

What to Expect at Your Visit

• Check-in: If you are in need of assistance, please check in with our front desk staff.
  • You will be asked to pay any fees or co-payments and fill out any necessary paperwork.
  • You will then be called back to an exam room or triage area to gather your vital signs (height, weight, blood pressure, etc.) and other important information for our records.
  • If not already in an exam room, you will then be escorted to an exam room, where you will be met by a resident, nurse, or advanced practice provider (NP or PA). This is an important part of your visit and essential for capturing critical information about your condition. This meeting may take 15-20 minutes.
• Examination: After reviewing this information and any outside records and/or imaging provided to us before your visit, the ENT provider will then meet with you to discuss your condition and perform a physical examination.
• Procedure: A procedure to view the inside of your nose (nasal endoscopy) or throat (flexible laryngoscopy) may be performed as part of this examination.
• Specific treatment recommendations will be provided for you.
• Surgical candidate? If surgery is offered, the procedure will be clearly explained, including the risks, benefits, and any alternative treatments. You may be asked to proceed to the Pre-Anesthesia Clinic, located on the first floor of The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital or at UAB Hospital-Highlands, for additional lab work and evaluation on the day of your visit or on a different date prior to surgery.
• Not all conditions require surgery: Based on your condition and circumstances, your ENT provider will recommend the best treatment options for you. These may include observation, medication, and/or referrals to other specialists.

The Day of Surgery

Arrival

Arrival times for surgery usually are not known until close to the day of surgery.

• By 2 pm the day before surgery, you will be contacted by one of our surgery schedulers and given your arrival time.
• Typically, your arrival time is scheduled 2 hours before the expected start of your surgery, to allow time for registration, meeting with anesthesia and operating room staff, starting an IV, etc.

For surgery at UAB Hospital, you will arrive at the admitting area, located on the 2nd floor of the UAB North Pavilion, located at 1802 6th Ave. S., Birmingham, AL, 35233. Parking is normally available in the Fourth Avenue parking deck located at the corner of 4th Avenue South and 18th Street.

For surgery at UAB Hospital-Highlands, you will arrive at the admitting area, located at 1201 11th Ave. S., Birmingham, AL, 35205. Parking is adjacent to the hospital.

For surgery at UAB Callahan Eye Hospital, you will check in at the surgery sign-in desk next to admitting, located at 1720 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL, 35233. The parking deck is adjacent to the hospital, with patient drop-off and pickup located on Level I (red level) for your convenience.

Please bring the following with you on the day of surgery:

• A list of your current medications that includes dosage, frequency, and reasons for taking. Include any over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamins, and herbal supplements. If there have been any changes to your health status since your prior visit, relay this information to the care team.
• Insurance card and photo identification
• CPAP machine, if used at home and you expect to stay overnight
• Copies of advanced directives, power of attorney, living will, etc.
• A care partner or responsible adult to stay with you during surgery and drive you home

What not to bring:

• Valuables such as jewelry, watches, or large amounts of money

Please remove:

• Nail polish
• All piercings
• All jewelry, hair pins, and accessories
• Dentures, partials, glasses, and contact lenses will be removed in the pre-op holding area and left with your care partner.

Pre-Operative Holding

• Approximately 1 hour prior to the start of your surgery, you will be transferred to the pre-operative holding area.
• You will be asked to change into a surgical gown, and your belongings will be stored in a bag.
• The pre-operative nursing team will review your medical information for any changes or updates and may provide you with additional paperwork.
• An IV (intravenous line) will be placed to deliver fluids and any necessary medications.
• You will meet your surgical team, including the anesthesiologist, nurse anesthetist, operating room (OR) nurse, resident, and/or ENT surgeon.
• Once everything is in order, you will be transported to the OR by the surgical team.

Surgery

• While you are in surgery, family members may wait in the designated surgical waiting areas at each hospital.
• The OR staff will provide updates on the status of surgery.
• Family members should leave a contact number if they leave the waiting area.
• After surgery, your ENT surgeon will provide a detailed summary of the procedure.

After Surgery

• After surgery, you will be transferred to the recovery room or to a surgical intensive care unit (ICU), if intensive care is required.
• After a period of observation in the recovery room (generally a minimum of 2 hours), you will be discharged home or transferred to a room on the floor.
• If you are moved to a step-down unit or ICU, your family will be directed to the waiting room for that unit. Otherwise, your family is welcome to stay in your patient room.
• The length of stay in the hospital varies by patient and procedure.

Discharge

• Your ENT surgeon will determine when you are ready to be discharged from the hospital.
• Upon discharge, you will be given detailed instructions on wound care and medications.
• You will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment.
• For any questions or concerns after discharge, you may leave a message for your ENT nurse/physician by calling our office at 205-801-7801 option 2, during office hours (Monday-Thursday 8 am-5 pm & Friday 8 am-4 pm).
• After hours, please call 205-934-3411 and ask the operator to page the ENT resident on call.