Frequently Asked Questions

What is the online pre-surgical assessment?

To prepare for your surgery, you will have a pre-test appointment with a nurse from Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The nurse will speak with you either by phone or in-person to gather important information about your medical/surgical history, to identify any tests that you will need done before your surgery, to discuss what to expect before, during and after surgery and to tell you how to prepare for your surgery.

Before your scheduled pre-test appointment, we ask that you submit your online pre-surgical questionnaire. The information you submit will be sent to your nurse in preparation for your scheduled appointment.

Why should I complete my pre-surgical assessment online?

Completing the assessment online helps to expedite your pre-op phone call or visit by shortening the process at the time of your appointment.

How do I know if I am eligible to complete the online pre-surgical questionnaire?

You can complete the online pre-surgical questionnaire if you are planning to go home the day of your surgery and you are at least 13 years of age or older.

Do I have to complete the online pre-surgical assessment form?

While it is not required that you complete your pre-surgical assessment online, doing so may expedite your visit by eliminating a complete review of your demographic and insurance data at the time of your appointment. If you would rather not complete the form online, you will have to provide all your information during your phone call or in-person visit to the Pre-Test Department. 

What do I need in order to complete my online pre-surgical questionnaire?

• Your health insurance information.
• The names, addresses and phone numbers of your physicians.  
• Your medical history.
• A list of surgical procedures you have ever had and their approximate dates.
• The name of the surgeon who will be performing your upcoming procedure.

It is very important you have this information on hand. Your pre-surgical questionnaire will time out if you leave the computer for 20 or more minutes. You will have to restart your pre-surgical questionnaire.

How long will the online pre-surgical questionnaire take me to complete?

Most people complete the form within 20 minutes. Please make sure you have all your health information on hand to speed up the process.

How do you protect the information I enter online?

We use SSL encryption technology to ensure the secure transmission of any personal information you provide while using our online pre-surgical assessment. You can easily determine when you're sending data securely by looking at the web address (URL) in your browser window. The first few letters will change from "http" to "https" when you are transmitting information protected by SSL encryption.

Who has access to the information I submit online?

To protect your privacy, personal information is seen and accessed on a need-to-know basis. Only people interacting with a particular patient will have access to the information submitted, including pre-surgical staff and the clinician.

How long will the pre-surgical assessment phone screening with my nurse take?

The phone screening will last approximately 15 minutes. During this time your information will be reviewed and verified. You will have the opportunity to ask the nurse any questions you have. Important: Before your phone call, please create a list of all medications you are taking, their dosage and frequency. This includes supplements, herbs and vitamins. You will need this information to complete the phone call.

I submitted my online pre-surgical questionnaire. How do I know it went through?

After you submitted your pre-surgical questionnaire, you should have received a confirmation on the screen saying that your assessment was submitted. If you did not receive this on-screen confirmation, please call the Pre-Test Department at 617-243-6826 to check the status of your online assessment.

I left the computer for some time while I was in the middle of my pre-surgical questionnaire and it timed out. Do I have to start again?

Yes. To make sure your personal health information is safe and secure, we have a 20 minute time-out mechanism set on the pre-surgical assessment form. Once you have been inactive on the online form and it times out, you must start your assessment over.

Where is the Pre-Test Department and what hours is it open?

The Pre-Test Department is located on the ground level of the Newton-Wellesley Hospital Surgical Center adjacent to the East Lobby. The hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. You can call the department at 617-243-6826.

I still have questions about my online pre-surgical assessment. Who can I contact?

If you have questions about the questionnaire, please call the Pre-Test Department at 617-243-6826.