Patient Registration Center

Patients who are prepared emotionally and physically for hospital services or surgery usually have a quicker recovery and a more positive outcome.

Understanding your registration, pre-admission, admission and discharge from the hospital are important aspects of this process.

Registering for Hospital Services

Your initial inpatient or outpatient registration is the first phase of your health care experience at California Pacific and billing through the Patient Accounting Services department should be your final phase.

Please have these items available when you pre-register and whenever you come to the hospital for services:

  • Your insurance card or information
  • Your insurance prior authorization for your service or procedure
  • Your durable power of attorney for healthcare
  • Your current medication list


    • If you are spending the night, you may also want to bring:

  • a small amount of cash. No more than $10 or $20 dollars.
  • your toothbrush and toothpaste
  • your hair brush or comb
  • slippers
  • reading glasses
  • reading material, books, magazines, crossword puzzle books


    • If you are being admitted to the hospital for a same day procedure or inpatient admission, we suggest that you
    DO NOT Bring:
  • any electrical devices, such as razor, portable TV, radio.
  • jewelry
  • large amounts of money


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    Pre-admission

    Unless this is an emergency situation, all hospital services require pre-admission, registration, and screening with a nurse.

    Pre-register for surgery, for maternity, and outpatient physical/occupation/speech/hand therapy.

    The nurse takes a brief medical history and checks your blood pressure, body temperature, and pulse to ensure that there are no contraindications to surgery. She or he will also review the admission process with you for the day of your surgery.

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    Admission to the Hospital

    Patients are required to arrive 1½ hours prior to their scheduled surgery time and check in with the admitting office or the surgery desk. The nursing staff will assign each patient a pre-surgery preparation room.

  • You are are given a surgical gown to wear

  • Personal belongings are tagged and bagged

  • Valuables are placed in safekeeping

  • An arm-band with your name and medical record number is placed on your wrist


    • Ambulatory Surgery
    Ambulatory surgical units are located at:
    California Campus West- 3700 California St.
    California Campus East - 3698 California St.
    Pacific Campus - 2351 Clay St., 6th floor
    Davies Campus - Castro & Duboce
    St. Luke's Campus - 3555 Cesar Chavez St.
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    Preparing for Surgery

    Every surgery requires both psychological and physical preparation. Depending on your type of surgery, you may need to prepare in different ways, but the basic standards for physical preparation are:

  • No food or water after midnight the night before surgery

  • No alcohol for 24 hours

  • No smoking before surgery

  • No medication of any kind unless approved by your surgeon

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    Your Discharge Home

    When it is time to leave the hospital, your attending physician will write a discharge order.

    The attending physician and discharge nurse will provide you with instructions regarding your post-hospital care, diet and activities. A friend, family member or private transportation service is required to take all patients home after a surgical procedure.

    Hospital staff will escort you and help you into the transportation vehicle. Discharge medication can be purchased at the outpatient pharmacy of the patients choice.


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