Private Knee Replacement Surgery Cost

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Private knee replacement in Canada and the USA

With the medical wait times becoming longer and longer, some Canadians choose to seek private surgery. The wait in Canada can be up to 2 years, however, if you are able to go private, we can usually assist you to get your private knee replacement surgery in 3-8 weeks, depending on your particular situation. Usually, if you had a recent X-ray (within the last 6 months) and have your medical records such as radiology report and imaging, it takes less time. If we have to obtain your records, it takes longer, as provinces have up to 30 days to provide us with your medical records after a consent form has been signed and sent in.

How much does it cost?

In general, a knee replacement is about $28,000, in Canadian or US dollars. Of course, because the Canadian dollar is not doing so well right now, the US option becomes more expensive. However, when choosing where to go, you should consider not only the cost but the expertise and reputation of a particular private clinic and surgeon.

Other factors to consider

When it comes to expertise, we usually provide people with a number of surgeries a particular surgeon does a year. Expertise comes with experience, and the more of it is done, the better expert a doctor is, in general terms. Another factor we always point out to our clients is the level of client care and therefore satisfaction that a surgeon and his staff provide. Some of the facilities we work with in the US go way above and beyond – they are available to answer all your questions pretty much at any time, are willing to make a hotel visit if needed after the surgery, and provide help and guidance later during the recovery process.

Private options and medical concierge service

Traveling for medical reasons can be complicated. Health Vantis provides full medical concierge service and case management from the first phone call until the return home for recovery. Our clients select where they go and we take care of all the details and logistics. If you are looking for a private knee replacement and are curious about our service, please give us a call toll-free 877 344 2544 or email us at info@healthvantis.com

 

Private Urology Clinics in Canada and the USA

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Urological surgeries and diagnostics

Urology is a medical specialty that studies and treats diseases of the urinary tract and the male reproductive system. Urologists treat bladder problems, UTIs (urinary tract infections), bladder and kidney cancer, ED (erectile dysfunction), and prostate cancer. Some common procedures a urologist performs are vasectomy, TURP or REZUM procedure, cystoscopy, ureteroscopy, and prostate biopsy, just to name a few.  Some of the urological procedures have long wait times in Canada.

Wait times to see a urologist in Canada

Wait times differ from province to province, and even within a province, there may be different wait times for different urologists and hospitals where they perform surgical or diagnostic procedures. In Ontario, Toronto area, the average wait time to see a urologist for partial Excision of the Prostate for priority 4 patients is 56 days, and from that to surgery is 122 days. So it’s about 6 months wait for non-urgent issues in Ontario. In Nova Scotia things look different, for a laparoscopic prostate surgery it takes 78 days to see a Urologist and then 219 days to get to surgery, so overall a bit over a year for a non-urgent case.

Private Urological procedures in Canada

Some Canadians do not wish to wait this long and seek private Urology options. There are limited facilities that offer private urological consultation and treatments. Hydrocele removal, TURP, or REZUM procedures can be done here in Canada. Green Light therapy requires traveling to the US. If you are interested in learning about your private options in Urology please give us a call toll-free 877 344 3544 or email us at info@healthvantis.com

Hysterectomy by Choice in Canada

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What is hysterectomy

Hysterectomy is a surgical procedure done under general anesthesia to remove the uterus, and sometimes ovaries and fallopian tubes (total hysterectomy). There are many reasons hysterectomies are done, such as to correct serious issues that interfere with normal functions (endometriosis, fibroids, prolapse), improve the quality of life (heavy bleeding, pelvic pain), and to save a life (cancer cases). In the majority of cases, hysterectomy is an elective procedure. All non-surgical options should be discussed with a GYN and explored prior to considering a hysterectomy.

Wait times in different provinces

Since hysterectomy is an elective procedure, it is scheduled. As with many scheduled surgeries in Canada, there is a waitlist. The process to get a hysterectomy in the public system starts from first seeing a family doctor, then getting a referral to a GYN, waiting, then after seeing a GYN, surgery can be recommended and is then scheduled. These steps can take up to a year and a half in some provinces.

Hysterectomy by choice in Canada

Hysterectomy is not like plastic surgery, where if a person would like to change how a part of their body looks, they can. There needs to be a medical reason for it, in Canada or the USA. If you go through the public system in Canada, a hysterectomy is the last resort, and everything else should be tried and failed. Since wait times in Canada are so long, this process can literally take years. Many women do not want to wait this long.

Private options

A private hysterectomy is not available in Canada at the time of us writing this blog. We help Canadian women arrange their private hysterectomy in the US, at safe, accredited, and no waitlist medical facilities. All GYN surgeons we work with are very experienced, and board certified. If you would like to know more about your private options in hysterectomy, give us a call toll-free or email us at info@healthvantis.com In addition, you can watch a short 2 min video here.

Can I get an Elective Hysterectomy in Ontario

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Residents of Ontario and private medical care

Ontario is the most populated province in Canada, with a little bit over 15.2 million people living there (as of 2022). It probably offers the best healthcare among Canadian provinces, when comparing wait times, availability of specialists and newer medical equipment. There are even private medical facilities in Ontario. However, according to Canadian law, if a medical procedure is covered by the provincial health plan, it is illegal to receive it in a private manner. So, Ontarians have to travel to a different province or the US if they want to access private medical services such as diagnostics and medical treatments.

GYN surgery in Ontario

GYN surgery is covered by OHIP and therefore is not available in a private manner to Ontario residents. In the public system, the wait time to see a GYN in Toronto area for a priority 4 patient varies from 39 days to 99 days, and the wait time to get surgery varies from 50 to 318 days according to ontariohealth.ca.

US options for residents of Ontario

GYN surgeries are not available in a private manner in Canada. Canadian women will need to look at their options south of the border, the USA. Health Vantis can connect you to an accredited medical facility and GYN surgeon and take care of all the logistics for your medical journey. If you are interested in learning how it works, give us a call at toll-free 877 344 3544 or email us at info@healthvantis.com. In addition, you can watch a short 2 min video here.

Why A Medical Facilitator for Private Surgery

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Why A Medical Facilitator for Private Surgery

We had an email inquiry last month asking for information regarding a private hip replacement.  We provided her with costs, including our transparent service fee, approximate wait time and locations as an initial start.  She responded by saying she had already contacted the facilities we work with and it took her all of 15 minutes to do so.  She proceeded to tell us that she didn’t need the services of a fraudulent company. 

For starters, we are not a fraudulent company.  We are a small business owned by two women who met at the carpool pick for our young kids.  We have been in business since 2016 helping many Canadians on the long wait list to access private options in a safe and timely manner.  Our company began out of a true desire to help Canadians navigate arranging a private medical service.   We had both experienced challenges within the system ourselves.  We both felt like it was a complicated, difficult, and down right challenging process.  Having some experience with US health care, we wanted to provide the guidance and knowledge on how to do it in a safe and effective manner.

Health Vantis is a medical concierge service.  I can assure you we spend more than 15 minutes on your case.  We dedicate many hours of our time to provide a seamless and thorough process to make sure your surgery is:  1) done in a safe manner and 2) a successful process.  We manage your case from start to finish and continue to follow up with you and the surgeon well after you are home recovering.  

Paying for private care can be incredibly expensive.  It is not always a simple process.  There are many things you may be unaware of or the extent of how much planning is needed to travel for surgery.  The last thing you want is to invest your time and money into something not being fully aware what is required of you or showing up to the surgeon’s office unprepared.  Paying a little extra to have someone who knows and understands the process to walk you through everything is worth the additional investment and will save you time in the long run.

Contact us to discuss how we can help you.  

Health Vantis

www.healthvantis.ca

877-344-3544

info@healthvantis.com  

Dangers in Medical Travel for Private Surgery

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Dangers in Medical Travel for Private Surgery

There can be dangers in medical travel if you do not know or understand the process of how and where to go.  A great example is the recent story that was in the US news last month.  A group of 4 individuals were traveling to Mexico for one of the individuals to have a tummy tuck.  Their van was targeted by a drug cartel and resulted in two of them being killed, as well as another innocent bystander, in a case of mistaken identity.  This may seem like being in the wrong place at the wrong time but we have seen this sort of scenario happen many different ways. We don’t know the reason she chose to travel to Mexico for a tummy tuck because that is widely available in the US but if we had to guess, it was likely due to cost.

There have been countless stories published that have resulted in tragedy because someone chose to travel for surgery due to cost alone.  Cheaper is not always better. Many people do not realize the dangers of traveling to a different country. Even being unfamiliar with the outside area can present problems.

Staying in the US and Canada lowers those chances because they all abide by the same health and safety standards that are required and monitored.  All of the surgeons credentials can be fact checked and verified and you can also see if there has been any malpractice suits filed against them.  In other countries, that can be incredibly hard to locate.  Not all countries prevent doctors from practicing outside their trained speciality either.  For example, it would not be uncommon for a dentist to do facial plastic surgery.  Dentistry and facial plastic surgery are two completely different specialties and one would not know the intricate necessities of how to carry out a successful outcome of the other.   But you’d be surprised how often it happens.

There are other dangers with regards to infection and high rate of drug resistant bacteria.  Most hospitals in the US and Canada have a very small rate of this, many below 1%, however, it is not something always tracked in other countries.  Then if you do get an infection, there is a greater risk of antibiotic resistance.  Another risk can be with counterfeit medicine being given or lower quality medical devices being used.

 
Many people do not realize that going to another country can have its dangers, especially for medical treatment.  The facilities we work with are all in safe areas of town. We are able to best direct you to get there safely, connect you with surgeons that have impeccable credentials and can provide you with the best results.  This might not be the cheapest, but might be worth it in the long run.

Health Vantis

www.healthvantis.ca

info@healthvantis.com

877-344-3544

Private Surgery in the US: Here is What You Need to Know

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If you are planning to travel to the US for your private surgery there are a couple of things to plan and keep in mind. Even though the US is very similar to Canada, such as people speaking English and doctor’s getting their education in a similar manner, some things are different, especially when it comes to healthcare.

Most healthcare in the USA is private

This one is very known to Canadians. It is impactful and requires knowledge about how American people pay for their medical care. They are covered by private health insurance. Their particular insurance negotiates pricing for all kinds of health care and then the end user, or regular American person, pays deductible and co-pay, depending on the level of coverage they selected with their insurance company. This can be an issue for Canadians since they will not have this coverage and finding pricing without insurance can be daunting and exhausting. You will need to talk to billing at hospitals and explain that you are a self-pay patient. Even then, it may take a long time and no certainty can be given as to what the actual price may end up being.

Doctors in the USA get the same education and pass the same requirements and exams to become highly qualified specialists

This fact is also known to many Canadians. However, what many do not realize is that unless you live in Ontario where the population is large, many Canadian doctors see fewer patients per particular disease or surgery. In the USA, where the population is greater, doctors can become highly specialized and get more experience by doing the same surgery many more times than their Canadian counterparts. We work with an orthopedic surgeon in New Hampshire who exclusively does joint replacements and nothing else. Such narrowing of his surgeries allowed him to see many cases of joint replacements and become more efficient and more experienced in it. What that means for you, is that your outcomes will be better with someone who is specialized.

The US is an excellent choice for traveling to get private surgery

Similarity and proximity are important when considering where to go to get private surgery. If you choose the US, your medical records do not need to be translated, your operative report will be in English, so you can easily bring it back to your family doctor in Canada and you do not have to endure a long flight to get there. Flights over 4h increase your risk of DVT and thus when traveling back home, one has to be careful. Cost is very important too. Health Vantis works with a few ambulatory surgical centers in the US and is able to provide you with bundled price, without you having to spend hours calling and following up.

If you need assistance planning your medical travel, Health Vantis can help. Contact us toll-free at 877 344 3544 or info@healthvantis.com and we would be happy to assist.

How to Prepare for Recovery after Your Private GYN Surgery

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If you need a private GYN surgery your options are across the border in the US. Unfortunately, there are none that can be done here in Canada. Preparing for your travels and surgery should be planned in advance. Consider hiring a professional, such as a medical facilitator, as they have experience connecting people to reputable private medical facilities and taking care of all the logistical details of your journey.

Have a support system set up before you leave for surgery

Reach out to your trusted friends and family and let them know you are going for surgery and what kind of help you may need after you are back. Many people would be happy to help. Be specific with what you might need: getting groceries or simply visiting you.

Take some time off work

We advise our clients to take as much time as possible from work. Everyone is different in how they recover, some women are able to go back to work in 2 weeks and some need more time, 4 to 8 weeks. If you are able to work from home, this could be a nice option as well. If your work requires heavy physical activities, such as lifting, you may want to consider going on short-term disability for about 8 weeks post-surgery.

Do not rush your recovery by trying to do more too soon

As women, we tend to be taking care of many things but oftentimes think of ourselves last. After you had a GYN surgery, you may feel like you can still do a lot, but please do not rush things and allow yourself to rest. Your body will thank you for it, as you will be allowing it to heal. We had a couple of cases where women thought they felt “back to normal” only to experience a setback the next day because they overdid things. Take your time and rest.

If you need assistance planning your medical travel, Health Vantis can help. Contact us toll-free at 877 344 3544 or info@healthvantis.com and we would be happy to assist.

Preparing for a Private Hip Replacement? 4 Top Things to Do

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If you were told that a hip replacement is in your future, you may be thinking of how to prepare. Those that spend some time to think through preparations and carry out tasks in advance will have a smoother and faster recovery. Some things you may need help with are moving around your home and getting some things done.

Put a support system in place prior to your surgery

Reach out to your friends and family and tell them about your upcoming surgery and what you need help with when you get back home. Make a list of things that you will be unable to do for the first few weeks, such as driving and getting groceries and such. Ideally, you should have one person as a designated communicator to the rest of your support group. This person will provide updates about your recovery and ask for additional help if needed. For all private hip replacements, this person is also your travel companion and will come with you to pick you up from the medical facility, bring you back to the hotel room for recovery and keep an eye on you for the next 24-48 hours in case of any complications.

Rent or purchase all the needed equipment for your recovery prior to your going for surgery

Your doctor or your medical facilitator should be able to give you a list of things to have. Some of them you can rent at a local drug store or Red Cross, and some of them need to be purchased. Here is the list we give to our clients.

  • Cooling machine (cold therapy) if possible
  • Ice pack if the cooling machine is not an option
  • Walker or crutches or both
  • Raised toilet seat
  • Bed assistance rail
  • Bath transfer bench
  • Reacher/grabber with pincher claws
  • Long handle shoe horn and bath sponge

Prepare your home for your arrival before you leave

Get your home de-cluttered and ensure that you have ample walking space. If you have rugs in the hallways remove them till you have recovered. Those can be a hazard to your walking while you are recovering. Stock up on easily prepared foods, such as frozen meals and canned food.

Arrange your physiotherapy sessions with a qualified specialist

Physio is a must when you are in recovery after your private hip replacement. It will start the same day as your surgery when you are feeling better and have woken up after anesthesia. Ideally, it should continue every day for 3-5 days and then your therapist can re-evaluate to see if you are getting the exercises and are able to do them on your own. Then your physiotherapy sessions can take place once or twice a week. Remember that doing exercises after surgery is essential to a successful recovery as exercise strengthens your muscles and gets your hip moving.

If you need assistance planning your medical travel, Health Vantis can help. Contact us toll-free at 877 344 3544 or info@healthvantis.com and we would be happy to assist.

Preparing For a Private Knee Replacement: Dos and Don’ts

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If you were told that a knee replacement is going to happen in the near future, you may be thinking of the best way to prepare yourself, your loved ones, and your home for what is coming after the surgery. Some things can be done in advance and they improve your chances of better outcomes and recovery. Planning early will also help lower your stress level which in turn helps you manage your recovery.

DOs

Pre-hab exercises

We can not say enough about this one. In simple words, the more in shape you are prior to surgery the better off you are after. We also understand that reduced mobility will limit your ways of getting in shape before surgery, but do not just sit there. If you are able to afford a physiotherapist to guide you search YouTube for knee surgery pre-hab exercises and you will find some great ones to do at home.

Quit smoking

Smoking is harmful to your health overall, and specifically increases the risk of heart attack, DVT, and stroke, and will hinder recovery. It decreases the blood flow and thus slows the healing process as well as makes you vulnerable to infection and circulatory problems.

Prepare home for your recovery

You will be home after 5-7 days (travel and recovery at the location of surgery) and you will not be able to drive for about 6 weeks. If you live by yourself, ensure that you cleared your home prior to your departure. We usually advise people to have everything set up on one level of their home so that they do not have to climb stairs. Rent a cooling machine or have ice packs in your freezer, as well as prepared frozen meals to make it easier on yourself.

DON’Ts

Do not have another cortisone injection

Surgeons advise against having a cortisone injection within the 3 months of private knee replacement surgery. Research shows that there is an increased risk of infection if a cortisone shot was done within the 3 months prior to surgery. Talk to your doctor or medical facilitator about this one if you recently had a cortisone shot.

Do not disregard pre-op instructions given to you by the doctor or nurse

You will be given specific pre-op instructions and we advise all of our clients to follow them precisely. If something is not followed, such as having a meal before your surgery or continuing to take certain medications, your surgery will be rescheduled for a different day.

Do not hesitate to ask for help

Knee replacement surgery is a common procedure, but knowing you have support can mean a much easier recovery. Do not wait or hesitate to ask for help. Reach out to your friends, family members, and neighbors and be specific as to what you will need, be it taking care of your groceries or simply wanting company for a couple of hours a day while you can not drive. Most people will be happy to help if they know what is asked of them. If you are completely by yourself and are able to hire a companion, google seniors’ companion services in your area and see if this is something you would want to consider.

If you need assistance planning your medical travel, Health Vantis can help. Contact us toll-free 877 344 3544 or info@healthvantis.com and we would be happy to assist.