For many Canadians considering orthopedic surgery in the United States, one of the first questions is whether they need a referral before speaking with a surgeon. It’s an understandable question because Canada’s healthcare system is built around a referral-based model, so most patients are accustomed to visiting a family physician before seeing a specialist.
For many Canadians considering medical tourism in Scottsdale or another part of the United States, one of the biggest concerns is what happens after they return home. While traveling abroad for treatment can provide access to specialized care and shorter wait times, some patients worry that returning home means leaving their surgical team behind—fortunately, that is often not the case.
There are so many reasons Canadian patients choose U.S. surgeons for procedures like joint replacement surgery, from shorter wait times to access to the United States’ advanced surgical technology. Nevertheless, recovering from surgery abroad often presents challenges that go beyond the procedure itself and travel arrangements.
Even though most medical tourists would agree that the planning is worth it, there are many logistics to work out when traveling to the United States for surgery, even from a neighboring country like Canada. Accordingly, one of the most common questions Canadians ask before surgery in the U.S. is when they should return home.
More and more Canadians are traveling to the United States for elective surgeries, such as joint replacements, as many U.S. facilities offer shorter wait times and more advanced surgical technology than those in Canada.
Arthroplasty, the partial or total replacement of a joint with a prosthesis, is one of the best solutions for chronic knee or hip pain. Knowing you need one is only half the battle—patients have to decide where to have it done, when to schedule it, and how feasible the costs are.
