Preparing for your visit to Skin Cancer Center of Fairfield County
To help you prepare for your first visit with us, please use the checklist below. Feel free to call with any questions or concerns.
What to do before your appointment
- Insurance: If you have questions about insurance coverage, please check the information on our insurance providers page.
- Request Medical Records: If necessary, call your provider’s office to request a copy of any medical records. Some practices will require you to complete a specific request form before you can pick up your records.
What to bring to your appointment
- Photo ID
- Insurance card
- Insurance referral, if required
On the day of your appointment
- Get directions to the office
- Allow for extra time before your appointment if your new patient forms are not filled out prior to your visit
- Co-pay and past due balances are due at the time of service. We accept cash, check, debit card, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover.
MOHS SURGERY PATIENTS:
What do I need to do to prepare for my surgery?
Know the exact location of your surgical site. It seems strange but very often biopsy wounds heal so well it is hard to find the site. This does not mean that the roots of the skin cancer are gone. If you are unsure of the biopsy site, there are some useful practices to help us find it. Your dermatologist may have taken photo of the site or made a diagram; please make sure they forward it to us or bring it with you to your appointment. While the biopsy wound is still fresh you can take a photo of the site for us to examine or come to us and we can photograph it. If you have any doubt you can return to your dermatologist and they may photo the location or circle it with a surgical marker. There are rare instances, depending on type and size of your skin cancer that the biopsy will have removed the entire growth and the area can be followed closely or treated with a tropical cream
Breakfast: Because the procedure is performed under local anesthesia, you may eat breakfast in the morning.
Medications: Please take all of your daily prescription medications prior to surgery, including blood thinners and especially, blood pressure medications. Also bring a list of your medications with you, including non-prescription drugs.
- If you have been prescribed the blood thinner Coumadin please make sure our office has a copy of your INR blood test from the office of the physician who prescribes your Coumadin. This must have been taken within one week of your surgery appointment. If you are on other blood thinning medications under the care of a physician such as Asprin, Plavix, Eliquis or Pradoxa, you should continue them.
- If you are taking Asprin not prescribed by a physician please stop one week prior to surgery.
- If you take Alleve, Naprosyn, Advil, Motrin or Ibuprofen please do not take 2 days prior to surgery.
Alcohol: Alcohol promotes bleeding. We ask that you avoid alcoholic beverages 24 hours before and after surgery.
Smoking: Smoking affects wound healing by diminishing blood supply at your surgery site and can lead to excess scarring. We ask that you discontinue smoking as soon as is possible prior to surgery. If you cannot stop completely, decreasing the amount you smoke will still be of benefit.
Transportation: You may want to make arrangements for someone to drive you to and from our office the day of surgery. This person may stay with you during the waiting period to keep you company between layers. Although you may be finished earlier, please plan on spending at least 4 hours with us. If the area being treated is near your eyes, (upper nose, forehead, upper cheeks) the bandage that we apply may interfere with the positioning of your glasses or obstruct your vision. In these instances it will be necessary that you arrange transportation.
Passing Time: We would like to make the time you spend with us as pleasant and comfortable as possible. You may want to bring reading material to occupy your time while waiting for the microscope slides to be processed and examined. We have a television and wireless internet access.
Lunch: We will have drinks and snacks available for you while you wait. You may also bring a sandwich or other snacks if you like.
Attire: Please dress comfortably the day of surgery.