Different terminology for different centres?

I've noticed throughout the forum people talk about psychologists or interns etc and I wondered what these are in relation to who I've seen. For Sudbury we see:

• Dietician/Nutritionist
• Social Worker
• Physiotherapist
• Pharmacist
• Nurse Practitioner

After this, if everything is "green lighted" we're sent passed to meet the surgeon via telehealth. When I see other people talking about seeing the intern I often wonder what their function is? Obviously I know what I psychologist is but do you see one of those if social work or someone feels you'd benefit from it? Are there other resources that people see that aren't ones I have mentioned? I'm really curious :)

In Thunder Bay it is

Orientation

Nutritionist

Social Worker

Internist (doctor who looks through medical history, ordered necessary tests and prescribes necessary vitamins that you are currently lacking)

Once all results are provided to surgeon, then you are booked with the surgeon and for the most part will receive your surgery date then and pick up your Opti.

About a week or so before surgery you attend the surgical orientation, meet with the anesthesiologist and NP to do your final measurements before surgery.

It's an averaged 6 month process if you do not suffer from serious ailments that need to be stabilized before the surgeon will approve your file.

At Toronto Western Hospital you see a:

Social Worker

Nurse (she often decides if you need sleep study or more testing)

Group Nutrition Class

Psychologist (everyone sees them)

Dietitian

Then your case goes to rounds and if in agreement you get an appointment to see the surgeon.

Timeline is about a year from orientation to surgery but it seems like they have been backlogged since summer. My orientation was June 7 and my final appointment before rounds is February 12. But is could be another 6 months or more before surgery. Fingers crossed it's much less!

Karen

Windsor it was orientation, nurse, Doctor, social worker x2, dietician x2 and then surgeon. On top of the orientation, nutrition class and surgery education class built in amongst those. They said at our centre that psychologist will only be booked if SW feels you need it. Physiotherapist was on the list of appointments but the nurse ended up telling me they never replaced her when she went on leave a few years ago and few centres even do that step anymore.

Glad you asked about the internist because I too wondered about this and whether it was the same as my doctor visit and it sounds like it was. Basically he looked through my medical history, assessing for any medical issues that would increase risk or need to be addressed before surgery and then signed off. I have seen some people say they had to do endoscopy and colonoscopy and a breath test but I only did blood work and the sleep study. It is interesting to learn how different sites do different things.

I think the internist performs the same function as the nurse practitioner at my site.

These make sense now, thank you :)

I had to see a Psychiatrist at TWH because i have a pre existing psycological condition and they had to make sure i would be well enough to handle the huge changes surgery causes.

It was a simple appointment, history and med check. and some routine questions. if you have been in the mental health system they are fairly routine questions

Ottawa toh is

orientation

nurse practioner

dietician / social worker

surgeon

you also have a pre surg 1 and 2 class