Doctors say great progress has been made in reducing wait times for joint replacement therapy, but there are things patients can do to make the process as streamlined as possible.
Dr. John Murnaghan told CTV Toronto on Thursday that the new model of care that sees patients directed to a central input system and directed either to physiotherapy, some other type of care or surgery.
The province's wait-times reduction strategy has also helped by providing much-needed resources and funding, he said.
However, some of the more rural parts of the province are lagging on wait times, he said.
There are a few steps patients can take to speed up the process, he said.
"One, to get in touch with your doctor; Let him know how severe your symptoms are," Murnaghan said.
Here are the other steps:
- ask your doctor to fax a referral to 1-877-411-4577 or 416-599-4577
- receive a call for an appointment at the Assessment Centre
- visit the Assessment Centre for a physical assessment and to discuss treatment options and whether you need surgery
- if you do require hip or knee surgery, a consultation will be scheduled with an orthopaedic surgeon - you may ask for the first available appointment or choose to wait for a specific surgeon
- meet the orthopaedic surgeon and book the date of your surgery
- hip or knee replacement surgery
If you don't have a family doctor, you can get a referral from a walk-in clinic.
As Ontario's population ages and the quality of replacement joints improves, the number of patients who are suitable candidates for joint replacement surgery continues to grow. Demand is growing by about five per cent per year.
For 89-year-old Malcom Inglis, the time from seeing his surgeon to being wheeled into the O.R. was less than two months.
The surgery means he won't be as reliant on a cane anymore -- and he's looking forward to a speedy recovery and getting back out to social events.
"I can't drive the car for six weeks, so we'll get back there!" Inglis said.
With a report from CTV's Monica Matys
