A new path
Surgery in weeks — not years.
Alberta's new private option lets you choose your date and have your hip or knee replacement close to home, by a fellowship-trained surgeon — no more waiting in limbo.
Alberta's Dual-Practice Model
A change that's coming, not a workaround.
Alberta is preparing to formally allow eligible orthopaedic surgeons to work in both the public system and a privately funded stream — a structure often called a dual-practice model.
Implementation is anticipated around September 2026, subject to regulation by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta and any applicable legislation. Details may evolve before launch.
The goal is simple: give Albertans who want it the option to pay privately for hip or knee replacement at home, while continuing to support the public system.
What this means for you
- Surgery measured in weeks, not months or years.
- Care delivered in Calgary, by a Calgary surgeon.
- A privately funded service — not covered by AHCIP. You pay out of pocket.
Please note: while every effort is made to schedule your surgery as quickly as possible, unforeseen circumstances can occasionally affect timelines. Your safety is always our highest priority, and this is sometimes the reason a surgery date may shift. We appreciate your understanding and are committed to caring for you throughout the process.
The Local-Surgeon Safety Argument
Why staying in Calgary matters.
Travelling out of province or country for surgery can shorten the wait, but it splits your care across systems. Staying local keeps the whole picture in one place.
Continuity of care
The surgeon who consults with you, plans your operation, and performs it is the same person who follows you afterwards.
Admitting privileges
If anything needs urgent attention after surgery, your surgeon has direct admitting privileges at Calgary hospitals.
In-person follow-up
Wound checks, physio coordination, and longer-term reviews happen in person — not by email to another country.
A real safety net
Complications are rare. When they happen, having your surgeon and the local hospital system in reach matters.
Advanced Techniques
Modern joint replacement, done thoughtfully.
A handful of techniques sit at the heart of our practice. Each is chosen, when appropriate, to spare soft tissue and shorten the road back to normal life.
Anterior Hip
A muscle-sparing approach to total hip replacement, designed for earlier mobility.
Learn moreSubvastus Knee
A quad-sparing approach to knee replacement that protects the quadriceps muscle.
Learn morePartial (Unicompartmental) Knee
For arthritis limited to one part of the knee — resurfacing only the worn compartment while keeping your natural ligaments and healthy cartilage.
Learn moreRobotic-Assisted Knee
Robotic-assisted knee replacement planned around your own unique anatomy — for accurate implant fit and balanced motion.
Learn moreDigitally Navigated Hip
Digitally navigated hip replacement, personalized to your own anatomy — confirming cup angle, leg length, and offset in real time.
Learn moreRecovery Timeline
From surgery to back to yourself.
A typical recovery, milestone by milestone. Yours may move faster or slower — recovery varies by person.
- Day 1
Surgery & first steps
Most patients stand and take supervised first steps the same day, with pain managed by a modern multimodal plan.
- First 2 weeks
Home & early movement
Walking aids gradually shorten, swelling settles, and home-based physio begins. Many patients are back to light routines.
- ~6 weeks
Back to daily life
Driving (when cleared), longer walks, and return to most everyday activities. Strength building accelerates.
- 3 months
Confidence returns
Stairs feel natural again, sleep is steady, and recreational activities — golf, gardening, light hiking — re-enter the picture.
- 6–12 months
Full recovery
Final gains in strength and endurance. For most, the joint stops being something they think about day to day.
Recovery varies by person. Age, baseline fitness, the joint involved, and other health factors all shape the road back. The timeline above describes a typical pattern, not a personal guarantee.