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Out-of Town Patients

Thank you for choosing to have your surgery with Dr. Della Valle. In an effort to make this experience as easy and stress-free as possible we have organized some important information for you. Here is a useful checklist:

Checklist:

  • Schedule a surgical date (2 months in advance)
  • Organize your trip to New York City (2 months prior to surgery)
  • Book a hotel (2 months prior to surgery)
  • Book transportation
  • Medical clearance
  • Preoperative class
  • Postoperative visit
  • Traveling back home

Scheduling a surgical date and insurance pre-authorization:

A date for surgery can be obtained through Dr. Della Valle's surgical coordinator by calling the office at +1 (212) 774-7124 press "option number 2" when prompted. Please do not contact your insurance company for surgery pre-authorization. This often leads to confusion and denial of coverage. If you need a "procedure code" in order to find out your financial responsibility, we can provide it to you.  The office will contact your insurance company for all necessary pre-authorizations.

Dr. Della Valle, the anesthesiologist and the hospital accept a different selection of insurance plans. This means you may have an insurance plan that Dr. Della Valle accepts but that the hospital or anesthesiologist may not accept, or vice versa. If you have questions about billing by the three parties (Dr. Della Valle, the anesthesiologist and the hospital), here are the telephone numbers you should call for billing and insurance questions:

  • Dr. Della Valle's fees: Please contact Dr. Della Valle’s biller at PMI Medical Management at +1 (212) 774-2830
  • Anesthesiology fees: +1 (888) 877-3850
  • Hospital fees: +1 (212) 606-1772

Travel information:

Most out-of-town patients arrive in New York City a few days prior to surgery so that they can undergo medical clearance at HSS. You can discuss the timing with Dr. Della Valle's surgical coordinator at the time of booking surgery.

If flying in from out of town you should make flight arrangements into LaGuardia (LGA), John F. Kennedy (JFK) or Newark Airport (EWR). LaGuardia airport is the closest to HSS. Most patients return home within three days after arthroscopic surgery, and within two weeks after hip or knee replacement surgery. It may be difficult to give you a definite date for you return flight so try to purchase one with a flexible return date. If you are not ready to return home by then, don't worry! We will provide you with a medical note so that you can change the date of the return flight.

Transportation from the airport to HSS:

The easiest way to get to HSS is to take a taxi or a car service like Uber, Via, Gett, or Juno. Our office is located at 523 East 72nd Street between York Avenue and the East River. The hospital is located over the FDR drive at 535 East 70th Street. There are trains and buses into Manhattan that are also available.

Booking a hotel:

We advise you to book a hotel near the hospital. HSS has the "Belaire Guest Facility", a hotel in the hospital campus with a few rooms that fill out quickly. Here is a link to the hotel's website: www.hss.edu

Here is the link to a brochure containing the most important information on accommodations, restaurants, pharmacies and other services in the vicinities of HSS www.hss.edu

Another alternative would be to stay with friends or relatives who live in the area.

Pre-surgical screening, testing and preoperative class:

In order to make sure that surgery can be safely performed; all patients undergo pre-surgical screening and testing in HSS prior to surgery. Dr. Della Valle's surgical coordinator will help you book them. Within a few days prior to surgery you will come to HSS to undergo pre-surgical screening and testing.

Pre-surgical screening and testing include:

  • Blood work
  • Electrocardiogram
  • New x-rays
  • Visit to one of our internists who will also see you while you are admitted in HSS after surgery.

In addition, patients undergoing total hip or total knee replacement or revision surgery will attend a mandatory preoperative class on the same day. The class will describe how to prepare for surgery, what to expect during your hospital stay, and the help you will need after leaving the hospital. This class is designed for total hip replacement patients so there will be several things that will not apply to our resurfacing patients. It is still helpful to attend the class and receive a brochure with useful information.

You can download the educational brochures that will be given to you in the class by clicking the following links:

Postoperative care:

After hip or knee replacement surgery, while you are still in HSS, you will be visited by a social worker (case manager or discharge coordinator) who will discuss your options for post-operative care. While in New York, a visiting nurse and a visiting physical therapist will see you in your hotel room or residence. If you are staying close to the hospital, we recommend that you come to HSS for physical therapy, which is typically performed two to three days per week. We will also encourage you to walk outdoors. These services do not need to be booked by you in advance.

Dr. Della Valle will see you after your discharge from HSS and prior to you return back home 10 to 15 days after surgery. If you had a hip or a knee replacement or revision, he will ask you to stay in touch by sending x-rays to us every three to five years. You can also come back to see us anytime; it is a great excuse to return to The Big Apple!