New Travel Guidelines Effective Nov 30, 2021

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COVID has been around now for nearly 2 years and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight.  That means we still have to follow guidelines and endure inconveniences, especially if we decide to travel.  The good news is that effective Nov 30, 2021, fully vaccinated individuals crossing the border for land or air travel, are exempt from providing a COVID-19 molecular PCR test to re-enter Canada.  The exemption only pertains to Canadian citizens, permanent residents or individuals registered under the Indian Act, who’s trip originated in Canada via air or land, that can show they have been away from Canada for less than 72 hours.

The exemption also applies to:

  • people with medical contraindications as defined in the Orders in Council (OIC); and
  • unvaccinated children under 12 who are accompanying their parent, step-parent, guardian or tutor.  The accompanying adult must be fully vaccinated (or have a contraindication) and have right of entry to Canada.

The 72-hour period runs from the initial scheduled departure time for flight leaving Canada to the scheduled departure time for their flight back into Canada for those with the right of entry in to Canada traveling via air.  Proof of the 72 hour window of travel will be required to border officials.  Acceptable proof will be via boarding pass and/or travel itinerary.

Stay tuned for additional changes to occur January 15, 2022.

Health Vantis

www.healthvantis.ca

877-344-3544

info@healthvantis.com

Recovery From Private Joint Replacement without Opioids – Is It Possible?

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Joint replacement surgery recovery can bring pain and discomfort. In the past, when these surgeries were done in a hospital and a patient required 3-4 days of hospital stay, opioids were often prescribed generously to treat the pain. However, with growing opioids addiction awareness, many orthopedic surgeons are switching to managing pain by nerve pain medication or over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Aleve or Tylenol.

A new study was published in June 2021 in Annals of Surgery. The study’s objective was to compare outcomes after surgery between patients who were not prescribed opioids and patients who were prescribed opioids. They looked at over 22,000 patients and came to the conclusion that both groups had similar clinical and patient reported outcomes. They suggest that taking opioids out of the post-surgical equation does not adversely affect patients.

If you are preparing for surgery, discuss your pain management approach with your surgeon. Health Vantis works with orthopedic facilities that use non-opioids in their post-surgical pain management. One of the facilities we work with focuses exclusively on joint replacement and created a program that leads to successful recovery without the use of opioids.

If you would like to find out more information about private joint replacement without the use of highly addictive drugs, please reach out to us toll-free 877 344 3544 or email info@healthvantis.com

Delay in Joint Replacement Surgery – What Happens to Your Body and Mind?

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Canadians oftentimes face delays in obtaining timely medical care. Elective surgeries, such as joint replacements are among the longest waitlists in Canada. Pain caused by arthritis can be severe. It can prevent a person from enjoying their everyday activities and affect their quality of life.

Physically, delaying joint replacement surgery can cause more issues. Further damage, increased stiffness, and weakened muscles and other soft tissues around the joint can occur. These factors in turn can make your surgery more complicated and recovery more difficult.

We know that body and mind are connected in so many ways and changes in one affect the other. Being in physical pain will affect a person’s mental health. Not knowing when your surgery will take place and waiting for someone to call for months long can be frustrating. Frustration and despair may set in to bring in anxiety or depression.

If you are unwilling to wait and are considering private joint replacement, we can help. We assist Canadians to obtain their private knee and hip replacement through careful selection of safe and affordable medical facilities and providing our clients with personal and exceptional support throughout their medical journey.

To find out your options in private joint replacement give us a call toll-free 877 344 3544 or email us at info@healthvantis.com

Private Hysterectomy – Do Canadian Women Have an Option?

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A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that removes a woman’s uterus. Sometimes ovaries are left in place, and sometimes they are taken out. There are many reasons a woman would consider a hysterectomy. Endometriosis, uterine fibroids, painful and prolonged periods that are not responding to non-invasive therapies are some of those reasons.

Hysterectomy is considered an elective surgery, which means it can be scheduled. In Canada, wait times for elective surgeries are increasing, and hysterectomy is not an exception. Depending on the province you reside, wait times exceed a year.

Private medical facilities in Canada are few. To our best knowledge, none of them are able to do GYN surgery. There are options in the US. Depending on the facility and the type of hysterectomy prices vary.

The recovery from a hysterectomy can take time. Everyone is different and some women recover faster. We advise that if going for a hysterectomy in the US allow at least 3-5 days to recover at the hotel after surgery before flying home. Plan to take time off work, about3-4 weeks, and rest your body so it can heal. The complete recovery can take up to 6 months.

If you are interested in finding out more information about private hysterectomy, please reach out to us toll-free at 877 344 3544 or email info@healthvantis.com

Medical Facilitator for Private Surgery

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When it comes to traveling for medical reasons, many people do not have much experience. We hope that we never will have to seek medical care outside our home area. However, long waitlists in Canada make us look for private options for surgery in Canada and the US.

It’s a good idea to see what pops up on Google search when you type in “private hip replacement in Canada”, but what about the process and preparation? What about safety and the reputation of the facility and doctor’s credentials as well as customer experience? And one of the most important questions – how much does it cost?

If you are a busy person, hiring a medical facilitator may be an option. A good medical facilitator is your health travel advocate and expert. They will make all the logistical arrangements for you, find out the answers to all your questions, and guide you through the process. You can rely on them to do all the legwork for you so that you can focus on your health. A good medical facilitator is able to make your medical travel a much less stressful process. They usually have relationships with safe and affordable medical facilities and visited them to view the area, meet with the doctors or administrators and walk the path a patient would when sent to that facility.

However, how do you know which company to hire, who is trustworthy and worth your money? Word of mouth is a great source. Ask around, reach out to your friends and relatives for a suggestion. Google the service and make an inquiry. Make a request to refer you to their past clients and take the time to talk to them. Pay attention to how they get paid. If they are transparent with their fees, it is an indication that they will not hide anything from you. Ask them where they are located. If they happen to be in your home town, meet with them face to face if possible.

In other words, take your time selecting your medical travel facilitator. You will be glad you did. Health Vantis helped many Canadians get successful private surgery. You can find out testimonials here or just reach out and we can connect you with some of our past clients who will be able to talk to you directly.

We are at toll-free 877 344 3544 or email info@healthvantis.com