Cranmer Ambulatory Surgery Center

Providing the Highest Quality Surgical Care

Welcome to the Cranmer Ambulatory Surgery Center at Monmouth Medical Center, which provides a full spectrum of same-day surgical services using the most modern technology available. The facility includes four full-service operating rooms, three minor procedure rooms and a three-tiered graduated recovery area, respecting the individual needs of adult and pediatric patients.

Your care will be handled by a highly skilled team of specialists headed by your surgeon. We are dedicated to working with your physician to provide the finest surgical care in an environment that promotes patient satisfaction and achieves optimal results for individuals who are able to return home on the same day as surgery.The one-story, 19,000-square-foot building is equipped to perform all types of same-day surgical procedures, including arthroscopic, laparoscopic and laser techniques. Every aspect of the center has been designed to provide the ultimate in efficiency and comfort for patients and their families, while offering the highest quality medical care.

Conveniently located on the hospital campus just off the main lobby, the center is easily accessible from the adjacent six-story parking garage.

This website provides you with step-by-step information to prepare you for surgery and recovery, as well as answers the most frequently asked questions regarding the same-day surgical experience.

Preparing for Your Surgery

One or Two Days Prior to Surgery

• You will be contacted by a member of the center’s nursing staff to obtain a brief medical history, and to discuss instructions, and to confirm your appointment and arrival time. To speak to one of our nurses, please call 732-923-7830 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at least one day before surgery.
• If your insurance does not cover all charges related to your procedure, you may be contacted by a financial counselor to discuss payment arrangements.
• If any change occurs in your physical condition or if you develop a cough, sore throat or fever, please contact your surgeon immediately.
• If you currently are taking anticoagulants, aspirin or products containing aspirin, please contact your surgeon for instructions. You may be instructed to stop taking these medications before surgery.
• Arrangements for preoperative testing or medical clearance examinations will be made by your surgeon’s office.

The Night Before Surgery

You should carefully follow any instructions given by your surgeon. In addition, to ensure your comfort and reduce the possibility of complications, the following instructions should be followed.

• Do not eat or drink anything — including gum or mints — after midnight.
• You may brush your teeth, but be careful not to swallow anything. (Patients scheduled for surgery later in the day, infants or patients with diabetes or other special dietary restrictions may be given special instructions to prepare for their procedure.)
• Do not take any medications after midnight unless instructed by your surgeon, anesthesiologist or a member of our staff. If you are diabetic, hypertensive or a cardiac patient, please obtain specific instructions from your surgeon or contact the center.
• Abstain from smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages for 24 hours before your surgery.
• Bathe or shower either the morning of or the night before your surgery.
• If you suspect you are pregnant, it is important to notify your surgeon and the center.

On the Day of Surgery

• Do not wear jewelry or makeup.
• Valuables — including cash, jewelry and fur or other expensive coat — should be left at home. We cannot be held responsible for lost or damaged property.
• If you wear contact lenses or glasses, please bring a case for their safekeeping. We will provide containers for removable dentures and bridgework. You may be permitted to keep your hearing aids with you.
• Make sure you have arranged for an adult friend or family member to drive you home after your procedure. We also recommend that someone remain with you for the first 24 hours following surgery.
• Any patient under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, who is required to sign the consent for the procedure.
• Plan on arriving at the center one hour before your procedure.
• Bring all insurance information with you to the center and a form of identification, such as a driver’s license or birth certificate. If arrangements were made for a deposit, please bring the amount discussed in the form of cash, credit card or certified or cashier’s check.
• Bring a list of your regular medications — both prescription and over-the-counter. If you use an inhaler, please bring it with you. Patients with diabetes should bring a supply of insulin and any oral diabetic agents.
• We suggest you wear loose, comfortable clothes, such as sweatsuits, and flat shoes.
• A nurse will provide you with a patient gown, robe, slippers and a garment bag in which to store your clothing before you are escorted to the operative area. A care provider will check your vital signs — temperature, pulse and blood pressure — and ask you to empty your bladder prior to surgery. The nurse will review your medical history and ask you to sign a consent form for surgery and anesthesia, if appropriate.
• Your anesthesiologist will talk to you before surgery to review the information you have provided to the admitting nurse. The anesthesiologist will explain to you the type of anesthesia you will receive and the method through which it will be administered. He or she also will review the risks involved with anesthesia, and will ask if you or any family members have had problems with prior anesthesia experiences.

After Your Surgery

• When your procedure is completed, you will be taken to the first-stage recovery area — the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), where you will be monitored for approximately 30 minutes, depending on the type and length of your surgery and anesthesia. As the anesthesia wears off, you will be transferred to a second-stage recovery area, where you will be rejoined by a family member or escort, if desired, until discharge.
• After you leave the PACU, you will be allowed to rest. You will need assistance to get out of bed for the first time. Most ambulatory surgery patients are able to go home within two hours following surgery.
• In the unlikely event your recovery becomes unexpectedly prolonged or complicated, your surgeon may arrange for you to be admitted to the hospital.
• Before you leave the center, you will be given specific written discharge instructions. A nurse will explain and demonstrate any special instructions to aid in your home recovery and will instruct you on when to call your surgeon for a follow-up visit. If you have any additional concerns or questions, please call your surgeon’s office.
• Although it is not necessary to have someone accompany you upon arrival, a responsible adult must accompany you upon discharge. Even if you plan to take a taxi home, please arrange for another adult to accompany you.

Upon Returning Home

Be sure to follow your surgeon’s orders regarding medication, diet, rest and activity.

• In the first 24 hours after your discharge from the hospital, you should not drive, cook or operate machinery, and you should abstain from smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages.
• If you experience dizziness or lightheadedness, it’s important to sit or lie down.
• Avoid making critical decisions.
• Do not take any medication unless it is prescribed by your doctor.
• A nurse from the center will call you the day after your surgery to see how you are feeling and to answer any questions or concerns you might have.

If you miss this call, please call the center at 732-923-7830 and tell the staff you are calling with a post-operative report.

If you feel that your recovery is not proceeding normally, call your doctor or the Monmouth Medical Center Emergency Department at 732-923-7300.

​​​​​​About Insurance and Billing

Charges at the Cranmer Ambulatory Surgery Center consist of two components — a base fee for each procedure performed and an itemization of materials, such as supplies, medications, implants and equipment. The base fee is used to estimate the amount of a patient’s unmet deductibles or co-payments — amounts that are payable on the day of surgery. If our costs are higher than anticipated, you will be billed for the difference. Conversely, if you have overpaid, you will receive a refund.

• Monmouth’s bill does not include the costs of the services provided by your surgeon and anesthesiologist, or fees for laboratory, radiology or cardiology tests. You will be billed for these services separately.
• Prior to your surgery, we will contact you regarding your insurance coverage and estimated amount of co-payment. Any amounts not covered by your insurance will be collected on the day of surgery. We suggest you contact your insurance company with any questions you now have regarding coverage.
• After surgery, we will file your insurance claim for you. We will ask you to sign an “assignment of benefits” form so that the reimbursement may be sent directly to the center.

If you have any questions regarding fee or payment policies, please contact our business office at 732-923-8882 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For Cosmetic Surgery Patients

Fees for cosmetic procedures — including payment to the hospital and the anesthesiologist — will be collected prior to or on the day of surgery. Cash, certified or cashier’s checks, money orders and major credit cards are accepted as payment. We are unable to accept personal checks.

About Workers’ Compensation Patients

If your procedure is covered as a workers’ compensation claim, we will need additional information, including:

• The name and address of your workers’ compensation insurance carrier.
• Your claim number.
• The name of the agent or contact person at your place of employment.
• The complete address of your employer at the time of your injury, and the date and time of your accident.

Please contact your employer prior to your surgery if you do not have this information. The center does not accept letters of protection from attorneys, and reminds you that you are responsible for your entire bill.

For More Information

The staff at the Cranmer Ambulatory Surgery Center is committed to making your scheduled visit with us as pleasant as possible. If you have additional questions or concerns, please call us Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 732-923-7830.