Preoperative Evaluation and Planning Center

Our Preoperative Evaluation and Planning Center (PEPC)

The goal of our Preoperative Evaluation and Planning Center (PEPC) is to make sure that every patient is ready for surgery. Our team of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and support staff screen more than 15,000 cases per year. They make sure that appropriate preoperative testing has been completed, and that all necessary information is available for your anesthesia team on the day of surgery.

Any complex case that needs further attention is identified and referred to the physician anesthesiologists in our clinic, located at 200 Medical Plaza in Westwood. They review the patient's medical record and perform an in-person evaluation when indicated. These physicians also see patients with complex health problems who are referred by their surgeons for advance anesthesia consultation.

You may wish to ask your surgeon or the physician performing your procedure to arrange a personal appointment for you at the PEPC clinic if you have any concerns about your health, questions about undergoing anesthesia, or would like to speak to a physician anesthesiologist for any reason.

There is no need to make a special visit to PEPC if you have had minor problems after surgery such as short-lived nausea or a mild sore throat. Just let your anesthesia team know on the day of surgery, so that they can take special precautions to keep you comfortable.

However, if you or someone in your family has had a serious or life-threatening reaction to anesthesia in the past, we encourage you to request an advance visit to PEPC. An example would be a family history of "malignant hyperthermia", a serious but fortunately rare type of response to general anesthesia.  Our clinic is open from Monday through Friday, 8:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., and the telephone number is 310-267-7280.

If you have a history of chronic pain, take high doses of opioid pain relievers, or take a medication called Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone), we encourage you to ask for a referral for acute pain consultation at PEPC. You may also call 310-267-7280 to schedule your own appointment. It will be important for us to know about your pain history and the medications you take so that we can coordinate appropriate pain relief for you during and after surgery.
More information about UCLA's pain medicine services >

Physicians

Director: Victor Duval, MD

Faculty:

• Lauren Beck, MD
• Maxime Cannesson, MD, PhD
• Dorothea Hall, MD
• Ira Hofer, MD
• Nirav Kamdar, MD, MPP
• Jure Marijic, MD
• James Moore, MD
• Johnathan Pregler, MD
• Harvey Rosenbaum, MD
• Johanna Schwarzenberger, MD