Short Stay Unit

Our Short Stay Patient Guide

The Short Stay Unit at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital is our resource for superior quality diagnostic and therapeutic care. Our physicians, nurses, and support teams are specially trained in digestive health care, and utilize the newest technologies and procedures to facilitate your treatment. To assure you the greatest possible convenience and economy, the unit is designed to enable you to be prepared for the procedure, have it performed, and recover all in the same facility.

We realize that you will have questions about your treatment. From the moment you arrive we encourage you to communicate your needs to our staff. Their goal is to keep you informed and comfortable with your care.

Remember, you're in the hands of experts dedicated to your health, and they are always ready to help you.

A Full Range Of Services

Patients of the Short Stay Unit benefit from the newest advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders.

One of the most commonly performed diagnostic procedures is endoscopy. A flexible tube containing fiberoptic bundles is inserted into the esophagus and stomach where it sends back accurate, close-up images of the upper digestive tract. The procedure takes about 10 minutes to perform, and causes minimal, if any, discomfort.

Similar procedures using fiberoptic technology are also performed in the unit. Flexible sigmoidoscopy uses a two-foot long tube and powerful light source to examine the lining of the rectum and lower portion of the colon. A similar procedure, colonoscopy, can examine the entire length of the colon. ECRP, a specialized form of endoscopy, helps diagnose problems in the liver, gallbladder and pancreas.

The unit also has a specimen procedure room that is used for minor surgical procedures as well as nerve blocks. 

Regardless of the procedure you are scheduled for, remember that your care is in the hands of highly trained professionals.

What To Expect

On the day of your scheduled procedure, you should report directly to Short Stay registration on the third floor, across from the Green Elevators. The Short Stay Unit staff will call you the afternoon prior to your procedure with your arrival time. A brief medical history will be conducted, which will include such topics as allergies and medications. Please bring insurance cards and photo identification with you.

We request that you park in the main visitor's lot located in the front of the hospital entrance. It is important that you have someone else available to drive you home.

Please wear loose-fitting clothes on the day of your procedure. We ask that you do not wear make-up, fingernail polish, jewelry or contact lenses.

Purses, wallets and other valuable should be left at home. 

You will receive specific instructions from our staff on preparing for your procedure. For your reference these general guidelines should be followed:

  • Total length of stay, from admission through recovery, is 2.5 to 3 hours. The average length of time to complete a gastroscopy is 15 to 20 minutes, a colonoscopy is 30 to 40 minutes, and a bronchoscopy is 15 to 30 minutes.
  • You must not eat or drink any fluids after midnight prior to your procedure. Patients scheduled for colonoscopies should be on a clear liquid diet for a full day prior to the exam. The day before the exam, patients are instructed to start a bowel prep.
  • Please do not smoke after midnight prior to your procedure. 
  • Any medications a patient may be taking will be reviewed by a nurse and specific instructions will be given.
  • You are encouraged to ask questions of any staff member - physician, anesthesiologist, nurse anesthetist, and RN's. Consulting with these professionals can help allay your concerns and enhance the comfort of your stay.
We recommend that patients be accompanied by an adult. Two people are permitted to stay with the patient at the bedside. Family members and other visitors can relax in the waiting room where refreshments are provided.

Patients are required to remain in the recovery area for at least 30 minutes after the completion of the procedure. During that time patients are monitored and given fluids. Your physician may relate the findings of the diagnostic test. Discharge instructions will also be provided.

Patients who have received sedation during their procedure are not permitted to drive for 24 hours. 

We accept most health insurance, as well as Medicare and Medicaid. Help with filling out claim forms and/or making other financial arrangements is provided.

The Short Stay Unit is located on the third floor of Uniontown Hospital and can be reached by calling (724) 430-5680.

The Department of Anesthesiology provides general, regional and local anesthetics as needed for your comfort and safety during surgical and therapeutic procedures as follows:

  • Surgical anesthesia
  • Obstetric anesthesia and analgesia
  • Monitored anesthesia care
  • Ventilator care
  • Pain management
  • Treatment of the critically ill
  • Provides services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Anesthesia care team provides services to infants, children, adolescents, adults and older adult inpatients and outpatients