I would like to know where I can find someone to accompany me to a doctor's appointment for outpatient surgery?

There are people who own car services in our area. They will pick up at the home, take the person to the surgical center, wait for them and drive them home. They advertise at senior citizens centers or you may find out about them by word of mouth. The going rate is $25 per hour. You can also ask around for a young mom whose kids are in school and she might drive you for some extra money, I had a friend who would drive people if they’d pay for a sitter for their Alzheimer’s mom, just so friend could get out of the house.

Since you are living alone without anyone to help maybe you should consider booking a short stay at an assisted living facility pre and post surgery, you could take advantage of their transportation (you'd have to check if this is available), plus you would have meals, personal care and medical supervision available while you recover if needed.

We have two schools of nursing in the area and some of their students will stay with you for 36-48 hours during and after an out patient surgery. It can be arranged through the doctor's office or the school.

This isn't an answer. I am in the same predicament. The office called and arranged surgery this week and I am searching online hoping for something better than Uber or Lyft. So I am checking the responses to this question.

care.com is where to look for someone to take you for your outpatient surgery.
You make a profile telling them what you need, how many hours or days, and what you're paying.

My husband had cataract surgery recently; I tested positive for Covid the day before and could not accompany him.

The ophthalmologist's office said that they would have one of the receptionists come to the hospital and accompany him to a cab. In the end, my daughter was able to assist us, but the office would have made this possible.

I had the same issues when I had cataract surgery. This is how the surgery and transportation to and from was planned:

1. My ophthalmologist's office had an established procedure. It was a well known practice throughout the state and from what I read, in the US b/c of the progressive attitudes and activities of the doctors.

They established the procedure:

2. The office had a surgery boarder who arranged for pickup, stay during surgery, and returned me back to my home. The gentleman who provided transport for me was the husband of one of the nurses, and was very proficient at knowing how to work with someone who left with 2 open eyes and returned with one bandaged eye.

The office paid the drivers for transport; I paid nothing.

3. My first surgery was the hardest. I had to wear the eye cap all day the second day, so I wasn't comfortable driving. The surgeon's office didn't provide follow-up transportation. So I searched online a few weeks before, then called various ambulance services which also provided nonemergency service to make the arrangements.

If your doctor requires you to visit early the next morning so he/she can check the eye, you may very well require that second transportation service. I did; my eye was still sore and I needed to continue wearing the patch.

This isn't cheap; it was about $140 round trip in 2019.

4. Second surgery was a lot easier; I also had a driver arranged for by the surgery boarder in the ophthalmologist's office.

Second day was also much easier; although I had made arrangements with the same nonemergency service, someone goofed up and the service was late. My eye was fine, so I just drove myself.

5. If your ophthalmologist's office doesn't provide service, I would call ambulance services with nonemergency service. I think it's much safer than calling Uber or Lyft. It is more expensive, but then I value my eyesight and I felt the cost was worth it.

There's also the issue of infection. I assume you'll be wearing an eye patch, but I don't know if that protects you from anything that might be in a private car that transports other people.

6, Some areas also offer point to point service, small bus service, or something similarly described. In my area (heavily populated metro area), the service is nominal; a few years ago it was something like $2.50 per ride - can't beat that!

7. You might also ask about the eye drops you'll use before and after the surgery, and plan life at home accordingly. The drops sting, but are necessary, with one intent being protection against eye infection. They're taken a few days before and weeks afterward; for me the total time of use was 1 month for each eye.

I didn't have vision trouble but the sting and pain is very uncomfortable. I spent a lot of time resting with my eyes closed. So get any housework or financial work done before the surgery.

Hope this helps; please feel free to ask questions if you have any.