Medical clearance means your primary care physician or other medical professional has given you a physical examination and determined you’re healthy enough to engage in a particular activity or medical procedure. For example, some people may need medical clearances to participate in sports or other physically-challenging activities. That way, the person or organization sponsoring these activities won’t be held liable if the participant suffers a health condition during their performance. Give us a call to schedule your appointment for medical clearance for surgery: (858) 412-6066
Learn More About Medical Clearance for Surgery
As for surgical procedures, the same concept applies. A surgeon will require medical clearance from the patient’s primary care physician before performing a surgical procedure on the patient. Then, the surgeon can have the reassurance that their patient is healthy enough to undergo the surgical procedure with minimal risk to their health and wellness.
In most scenarios, the surgeon will request an authorization form from the patient’s primary care physician. The authorization form gives medical clearance to the patient to undergo the particular type of surgery that will be performed on them. Of course, the physician must first conduct a special physical health evaluation on the patient before they can give clearance to them.
Medical clearances are necessary whether you need cosmetic or medical surgery. Since all surgeries have some level of risk to the patient, your doctor must evaluate your existing medical conditions, disabilities, and current medications you take. All this information is vital to determine if you’re healthy enough to undergo the procedure with a minimal chance of dying or suffering harm.
Addressing Risk Factors
Medical clearances may not be necessary if a patient has a clean bill of health with no underlying diseases or health conditions. However, if the patient has diseases or conditions that increase their risk from surgery, the risk factors must be addressed before receiving medical clearance.
For example, a primary care physician may refer their patient to a cardiologist if they discover the patient has unusual heartbeat patterns or other heart issues from the general physical examination. From there, the cardiologist would conduct a more thorough heart examination and provide whatever treatment is necessary to control the condition.
The ACS NSQIP (American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program) offers a free online surgical risk calculator for surgeons and primary care physicians to evaluate their patient’s health risks for surgery. If there are doubts or scepticism about whether the patient is healthy enough for surgery, they should be discussed directly between the physician and surgeon. The outside specialist may want to get involved in these discussions too.
It may turn out that a high-risk patient won’t be eligible for a particular surgical procedure. If that is the case, alternative medical procedures and treatments can be recommended which are more accommodating to the patient’s health status.
Seek Medical Clearance For Surgery in San Diego
Are you seeking medical clearance for a particular surgical procedure in San Diego? Medical Care San Diego has a team of medical professionals and physicians who can evaluate your health and determine if you’re healthy enough for the surgery. If we find you are healthy enough, we’ll sign the authorization form clearing you for surgery and send it to your surgeon.
Call us at (858) 412-6066 to learn more about medical clearance for surgery and to schedule your appointment.