Perri Klass, M.D. in the NYT:

In adult surgery, it is not routine to promise that someone can be with you in the operating room till you go to sleep, or to have family members a standard part of recovery room care. Many hospitals will let a family member stay overnight with an adult patient, but policies vary hospital by hospital, ward by ward.

“We accommodate family members much more in pediatrics,” Dr. Monash said. “We don’t have visiting hours where everyone has to leave.” [ … ] It seems to me we should be able to promise any hospital patient that a relative, a friend, can stay close at hand. We should be able to promise anyone going in for surgery that when she wakes up, someone familiar will be there.