We believe that confusing referral processes, a lack of choice regarding care providers, lengthy wait times, and limited face-to-face interaction with an orthopedic surgeon should not be the norm in orthopaedic care. To book a consultation at Ortho South, simply email or call the clinic location where you would like to be assessed, or fill out our online booking form. No referral is required! Virtual consultations are also available. Our dedicated staff will assist you in obtaining any other imaging studies or medical documentation that may be helpful for your appointment.

No. Patients receiving private orthopaedic care at Ortho South are not entitled to seek reimbursement from the public healthcare system.

Ortho South is unable to accept patients for acute fractures, spine-related conditions, foot and ankle problems, or any issues related to a previous joint replacement surgery completed by another surgeon. If you are seeking surgery and are unsure if it can be managed at Ortho South, please see our “Surgical Care” page for a list of procedures performed by Ortho South surgeons.

While there may be a role for other treatment providers to be involved in your orthopaedic care at some stage, your appointment time at Ortho South will always be spent with an orthopaedic surgeon. Consultations are booked for 45 minutes to an hour, and follow-up visits are scheduled for 20-30 minutes to ensure adequate time with your surgeon to discuss your problem, as well as your function, ideas, feelings, and expectations.

The short answer is yes. If an imaging study or lab test is ordered by an Ortho South surgeon, or any other private care provider to pursue private orthopedic care with Ortho South, this service is not covered by the public healthcare system in your home province. Further, you will not be entitled to seek reimbursement from the respective public healthcare system in your home province. If imaging studies or lab tests have already been completed in the public system, and you have access to the results, it may not be necessary to repeat these studies or tests. However, if these studies/tests are outdated or inadequate for your private orthopedic care, your Ortho South surgeon may need to order additional studies/tests, and you will be required to pay out-of-pocket for these studies.

Both surgical and non-surgical treatment options are offered at Ortho South. The best treatment option for your orthopaedic problem often depends on several factors, including the nature of the problem, your functional abilities and demands, your individual goals and treatment timelines. Click the links for further details about orthopaedic surgical care and non-surgical care offered at Ortho South.

Consultations are usually booked within 1-2 weeks. Same-day appointments are accepted if there is availability on the schedule or any last-minute cancellations. Please note, that if you have not yet had medical imaging studies completed, or have not had the correct imaging studies completed, this may delay booking your consultation. If imaging studies are recommended, Ortho South admin staff can help arrange for these to be completed privately, usually within 1-2 days for plain X-rays, and within 1-2 weeks for advanced studies such as an MRI or CT scan.

Ortho South is much like any other orthopaedic surgery office or clinic space where consultations and follow-up visits occur with your orthopaedic surgeon. While Ortho South is not a surgical facility in itself, our surgeons do have surgical privileges to operate at several accredited surgical facilities in Calgary and Vancouver. If you require surgery, your procedure will be booked and provided by your Ortho South surgeon at one of the following facilities: Calgary Canadian Surgery Solutions (CSS) Rockyview Surgical Centre Vancouver Cambie Surgery Centre

The Specialist Referral Clinic (SRC) is an independent private surgery clinic in Vancouver, BC. The SRC works collaboratively with Ortho South and provides clinic space as well as administrative support for Dr. Costa to see patients in Vancouver. Dr. Costa offers in-person consultations, follow-up care, and other non-operative treatment such as injection-based therapies at the SRC clinic. The SRC is affiliated with the Cambie Surgery Centre, where Dr. Costa provides surgical care to Ortho South patients.

No. Unfortunately, these types of problems are best managed in the public system as they are time-sensitive, often requiring immediate assessment and more urgent treatment. You should seek care at an emergency department or urgent care center for these types of orthopedic problems.

Ortho South offers consultations and follow-up visits both in person and virtually, depending on patient preference and the nature of the problem. In-person visits are available at the Ortho South clinic in Calgary, or the Specialist Referral Clinic in Vancouver. Virtual visits are, of course, arranged at your convenience from the comfort of your home. See our contact us page for more information.

Except in the case of urgent/emergent medical needs, we do NOT refer patients to care providers in the public system. However, if you choose to have a private consultation at Ortho South, this may give you further clarity about the nature of your orthopedic problem and may make it easier for you and your family physician to have discussions about a referral in the public healthcare system if you choose to pursue that route. You and your family physician are of course welcome to use any documentation from your Ortho South consultation to potentially help facilitate a referral to the appropriate specialist in the public system.

Absolutely! You may phone the office, email Ortho South, or use the online booking form on the website to book a consultation for these types of problems. No referral is required. If you do not yet have imaging, this can be organized by Ortho South staff. Please be advised that you may be directed to the emergency department or urgent care if a fracture is identified or suspected as we are not able to treat these types of problems at Ortho South.

Major orthopaedic surgery procedures: Total hip replacement Total knee replacement Partial knee replacement Arthroscopic orthopaedic surgery procedures: Arthroscopic knee procedures – ACL reconstruction, ACL repair, other knee ligament reconstruction; meniscus repair, meniscectomy, other cartilage-related procedures; MPFL reconstruction, other patella stabilization surgery Arthroscopic shoulder procedures – Rotator cuff repair, biceps tenodesis, distal clavicle excision, sub-acromial decompression, bursectomy, other rotator cuff related procedures; Bankart repair, and other shoulder instability surgeries Minor orthopaedic surgery procedures: Carpal tunnel release Trigger finger release Lateral epicondylitis surgery Hardware removal

The cost of private orthopaedic surgery depends on several factors, including the type of surgery required, the complexity of the case, the time required for the procedure, implants/surgical devices required, post-operative devices required, length of hospital stay, surgical facility where the procedure is to occur, number of post-operative visits recommended, etc. For these reasons, it is not possible to provide an accurate quote for surgery before consultation with your Ortho South surgeon. If surgery is recommended after consultation with your Ortho South surgeon, you will be provided with a detailed quote from the surgical facility where your surgery is to be booked.

Yes. All care provided by Ortho South surgeons is private-pay and is not covered by provincial healthcare insurance plans. Patients receiving private orthopedic care at Ortho South are not entitled to seek reimbursement from the public healthcare system.

The list above includes the most common types of orthopaedic surgeries our Ortho South surgeons offer. There may be other surgeries available - you can always ask! However, we do not offer spine surgery, hand and wrist surgery (other than carpal tunnel and trigger finger), foot and ankle surgery, fracture fixation, any arthroplasty other than hip/knee, or any revision arthroplasty procedures.

Most private orthopaedic surgeries can usually be booked within 4-6 weeks. However, depending on the nature of the procedure, and any other medical conditions you have, it may take longer for you to be “cleared” for surgery. In most cases, a surgical date cannot be offered until you are medically “cleared” for surgery. If surgery is recommended, Ortho South staff will walk you through the medical clearance process. The process for medical clearance for surgery usually takes 1-2 weeks in most cases.

Follow-up after your surgical procedure occurs at either the Ortho South clinic in Calgary, the Specialist Referral Clinic (SRC) in Vancouver, or virtually depending on your preference and the nature of the procedure.

There is no set recovery time for all orthopaedic procedures. The projected timeframe for recovery varies depending on the type of surgery condition, the patient’s age, overall health, the quality of rehabilitation and physiotherapy after surgery, and several other factors. For most surgeries, “maximal recovery” (where no further improvement is likely), usually occurs 10-12 months post-surgery. Post-operative recovery protocols, with more detailed procedure-specific timelines, are provided to each patient undergoing surgery with Ortho South. Your recovery will also be monitored closely via follow-up visits with your Ortho South surgeon after the procedure.

Eligibility for surgery at a specific site depends on your province of residence, as well as the procedures permitted at each facility. Not all surgeries are available at each site. In Alberta, joint replacement surgeries and most other surgeries requiring an overnight stay are provided by Ortho South surgeons at the Canadian Surgery Solutions (CSS) facility in Calgary. Arthroscopic and other day-surgery-type procedures are provided by Ortho South surgeons at the Rockyview Surgical Centre in Calgary. In BC, day-surgery type procedures (and some overnight stay procedures such as partial knee replacement) are provided by Ortho South surgeons at the Cambie Surgery Centre in Vancouver. Unfortunately, there are currently no private surgery facilities in BC accredited to offer major procedures such as total hip and total knee replacement.

Ortho South is much like any other orthopaedic surgery office or clinic space where consultations and follow-up visits occur with your orthopaedic surgeon. While Ortho South is not a surgical facility in itself, our surgeons do have surgical privileges to operate at various accredited surgical facilities in Calgary and/or Vancouver. If you require surgery, your procedure will be booked and provided by your Ortho South surgeon at one of the following accredited surgical facilities: Calgary Canadian Surgery Solutions (CSS) Rockyview Surgical Centre Vancouver Cambie Surgery Centre

This depends on several factors, most notably, the type of surgery you are having. At Ortho South, we provide all patients with a detailed post-operative recovery booklet specific to the type of surgery completed. Usually, this is personalized to reflect what exactly was done in your specific case, as no two surgeries are exactly alike. Our Ortho South post-operative recovery booklets provide extensive information about wound/dressing care, pain management, splints, activity, return to work/driving, physiotherapy protocols, and recovery timelines. Your Ortho South surgeon will go over these details with you before booking your surgery, and your surgeon will also be accessible directly via cell phone if you find there are issues not covered in the booklet that require clarification after your procedure.

Unfortunately, there are risks inherent in any surgery, and complications do occur. If you experience a complication after private orthopaedic surgery, Ortho South surgeons are regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons in their respective provinces and are required to establish a plan for continuity of care, as are orthopaedic surgeons providing care in the public system. Typically, the first point of contact if you experience a complication after surgery will be with your Ortho South surgeon directly, the Ortho South office staff, or another appropriate medical designate. After surgery, Ortho South patients are provided with detailed contact information and instructions for accessing help in an emergency, including direct cell phone access to their surgeon. Most complications/problems can be safely managed in the private system under the care of your Ortho South surgeon. In the rare situation where a problem/complication cannot be appropriately managed by your surgeon in the private system, your Ortho South surgeon or respective office staff will offer guidance on how to access appropriate care in the public system. Ortho South surgeons are required by the College to have an orthopedic surgeon designated in the public system for these rare occurrences. If your situation means that you require care from an orthopedic surgeon in the public system, your Ortho South surgeon will assist in accessing this care. By law, you cannot be denied care by a healthcare provider in the public system if a complication/problem cannot be safely managed in the private system after private surgery.

There is not one “best time” for surgery. This will depend on several factors such as the nature of the problem, your functional abilities and demands, and your own individual goals and treatment timelines. Wait times are fairly consistent for private surgery throughout the year. That said, there are often “slow-down” periods during the summer months and around Christmas holidays which can sometimes limit access to operating facilities during those periods. Fortunately, as many patients decide to put off having surgery during holiday periods, less demand means better access for those patients who simply want to have surgery as soon as possible! Ultimately, it is best to speak to your Ortho South surgeon about the time that works best for YOU! This request can likely be accommodated in the private system.

Unfortunately, there are currently no private surgery facilities anywhere in BC accredited to offer major procedures such as total hip and knee replacement. This is regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. If you are willing to travel, however, Ortho South surgeons can provide total hip and knee replacement surgeries for you in Calgary at the Canadian Surgery Solutions (CSS) facility. CSS is accredited by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta to perform these procedures. Assessment and follow-up can occur in Vancouver or virtually at your discretion.

As the best treatment option for your orthopaedic problem often depends on several factors, including the nature of the problem, your functional abilities and demands, your individual goals and treatment timelines, it is best to start your surgical journey at Ortho South by booking a consultation with one of our surgeons. You can also contact our main office for additional information.

We believe that confusing referral processes, a lack of choice regarding care providers, lengthy wait times, and limited face-to-face interaction with an orthopedic surgeon should not be the norm in orthopaedic care. To book a consultation at Ortho South, simply email or call the clinic location where you would like to be assessed, or fill out our online booking form. No referral is required! Virtual consultations are also available. Our dedicated staff will assist you in obtaining any other imaging studies or medical documentation that may be helpful for your appointment.

No. Patients receiving private orthopaedic care at Ortho South are not entitled to seek reimbursement from the public healthcare system.

Ortho South is unable to accept patients for acute fractures, spine-related conditions, foot and ankle problems, or any issues related to a previous joint replacement surgery completed by another surgeon. If you are seeking surgery and are unsure if it can be managed at Ortho South, please see our “Surgical Care” page for a list of procedures performed by Ortho South surgeons.

While there may be a role for other treatment providers to be involved in your orthopaedic care at some stage, your appointment time at Ortho South will always be spent with an orthopaedic surgeon. Consultations are booked for 45 minutes to an hour, and follow-up visits are scheduled for 20-30 minutes to ensure adequate time with your surgeon to discuss your problem, as well as your function, ideas, feelings, and expectations.

The short answer is yes. If an imaging study or lab test is ordered by an Ortho South surgeon, or any other private care provider to pursue private orthopedic care with Ortho South, this service is not covered by the public healthcare system in your home province. Further, you will not be entitled to seek reimbursement from the respective public healthcare system in your home province. If imaging studies or lab tests have already been completed in the public system, and you have access to the results, it may not be necessary to repeat these studies or tests. However, if these studies/tests are outdated or inadequate for your private orthopedic care, your Ortho South surgeon may need to order additional studies/tests, and you will be required to pay out-of-pocket for these studies.

Both surgical and non-surgical treatment options are offered at Ortho South. The best treatment option for your orthopaedic problem often depends on several factors, including the nature of the problem, your functional abilities and demands, your individual goals and treatment timelines. Click the links for further details about orthopaedic surgical care and non-surgical care offered at Ortho South.

Consultations are usually booked within 1-2 weeks. Same-day appointments are accepted if there is availability on the schedule or any last-minute cancellations. Please note, that if you have not yet had medical imaging studies completed, or have not had the correct imaging studies completed, this may delay booking your consultation. If imaging studies are recommended, Ortho South admin staff can help arrange for these to be completed privately, usually within 1-2 days for plain X-rays, and within 1-2 weeks for advanced studies such as an MRI or CT scan.

Ortho South is much like any other orthopaedic surgery office or clinic space where consultations and follow-up visits occur with your orthopaedic surgeon. While Ortho South is not a surgical facility in itself, our surgeons do have surgical privileges to operate at several accredited surgical facilities in Calgary and Vancouver. If you require surgery, your procedure will be booked and provided by your Ortho South surgeon at one of the following facilities: Calgary Canadian Surgery Solutions (CSS) Rockyview Surgical Centre Vancouver Cambie Surgery Centre

The Specialist Referral Clinic (SRC) is an independent private surgery clinic in Vancouver, BC. The SRC works collaboratively with Ortho South and provides clinic space as well as administrative support for Dr. Costa to see patients in Vancouver. Dr. Costa offers in-person consultations, follow-up care, and other non-operative treatment such as injection-based therapies at the SRC clinic. The SRC is affiliated with the Cambie Surgery Centre, where Dr. Costa provides surgical care to Ortho South patients.

No. Unfortunately, these types of problems are best managed in the public system as they are time-sensitive, often requiring immediate assessment and more urgent treatment. You should seek care at an emergency department or urgent care center for these types of orthopedic problems.

Ortho South offers consultations and follow-up visits both in person and virtually, depending on patient preference and the nature of the problem. In-person visits are available at the Ortho South clinic in Calgary, or the Specialist Referral Clinic in Vancouver. Virtual visits are, of course, arranged at your convenience from the comfort of your home. See our contact us page for more information.

Except in the case of urgent/emergent medical needs, we do NOT refer patients to care providers in the public system. However, if you choose to have a private consultation at Ortho South, this may give you further clarity about the nature of your orthopedic problem and may make it easier for you and your family physician to have discussions about a referral in the public healthcare system if you choose to pursue that route. You and your family physician are of course welcome to use any documentation from your Ortho South consultation to potentially help facilitate a referral to the appropriate specialist in the public system.

Absolutely! You may phone the office, email Ortho South, or use the online booking form on the website to book a consultation for these types of problems. No referral is required. If you do not yet have imaging, this can be organized by Ortho South staff. Please be advised that you may be directed to the emergency department or urgent care if a fracture is identified or suspected as we are not able to treat these types of problems at Ortho South.

Major orthopaedic surgery procedures: Total hip replacement Total knee replacement Partial knee replacement Arthroscopic orthopaedic surgery procedures: Arthroscopic knee procedures – ACL reconstruction, ACL repair, other knee ligament reconstruction; meniscus repair, meniscectomy, other cartilage-related procedures; MPFL reconstruction, other patella stabilization surgery Arthroscopic shoulder procedures – Rotator cuff repair, biceps tenodesis, distal clavicle excision, sub-acromial decompression, bursectomy, other rotator cuff related procedures; Bankart repair, and other shoulder instability surgeries Minor orthopaedic surgery procedures: Carpal tunnel release Trigger finger release Lateral epicondylitis surgery Hardware removal

The cost of private orthopaedic surgery depends on several factors, including the type of surgery required, the complexity of the case, the time required for the procedure, implants/surgical devices required, post-operative devices required, length of hospital stay, surgical facility where the procedure is to occur, number of post-operative visits recommended, etc. For these reasons, it is not possible to provide an accurate quote for surgery before consultation with your Ortho South surgeon. If surgery is recommended after consultation with your Ortho South surgeon, you will be provided with a detailed quote from the surgical facility where your surgery is to be booked.

Yes. All care provided by Ortho South surgeons is private-pay and is not covered by provincial healthcare insurance plans. Patients receiving private orthopedic care at Ortho South are not entitled to seek reimbursement from the public healthcare system.

The list above includes the most common types of orthopaedic surgeries our Ortho South surgeons offer. There may be other surgeries available - you can always ask! However, we do not offer spine surgery, hand and wrist surgery (other than carpal tunnel and trigger finger), foot and ankle surgery, fracture fixation, any arthroplasty other than hip/knee, or any revision arthroplasty procedures.

Most private orthopaedic surgeries can usually be booked within 4-6 weeks. However, depending on the nature of the procedure, and any other medical conditions you have, it may take longer for you to be “cleared” for surgery. In most cases, a surgical date cannot be offered until you are medically “cleared” for surgery. If surgery is recommended, Ortho South staff will walk you through the medical clearance process. The process for medical clearance for surgery usually takes 1-2 weeks in most cases.

Follow-up after your surgical procedure occurs at either the Ortho South clinic in Calgary, the Specialist Referral Clinic (SRC) in Vancouver, or virtually depending on your preference and the nature of the procedure.

There is no set recovery time for all orthopaedic procedures. The projected timeframe for recovery varies depending on the type of surgery condition, the patient’s age, overall health, the quality of rehabilitation and physiotherapy after surgery, and several other factors. For most surgeries, “maximal recovery” (where no further improvement is likely), usually occurs 10-12 months post-surgery. Post-operative recovery protocols, with more detailed procedure-specific timelines, are provided to each patient undergoing surgery with Ortho South. Your recovery will also be monitored closely via follow-up visits with your Ortho South surgeon after the procedure.

Eligibility for surgery at a specific site depends on your province of residence, as well as the procedures permitted at each facility. Not all surgeries are available at each site. In Alberta, joint replacement surgeries and most other surgeries requiring an overnight stay are provided by Ortho South surgeons at the Canadian Surgery Solutions (CSS) facility in Calgary. Arthroscopic and other day-surgery-type procedures are provided by Ortho South surgeons at the Rockyview Surgical Centre in Calgary. In BC, day-surgery type procedures (and some overnight stay procedures such as partial knee replacement) are provided by Ortho South surgeons at the Cambie Surgery Centre in Vancouver. Unfortunately, there are currently no private surgery facilities in BC accredited to offer major procedures such as total hip and total knee replacement.

Ortho South is much like any other orthopaedic surgery office or clinic space where consultations and follow-up visits occur with your orthopaedic surgeon. While Ortho South is not a surgical facility in itself, our surgeons do have surgical privileges to operate at various accredited surgical facilities in Calgary and/or Vancouver. If you require surgery, your procedure will be booked and provided by your Ortho South surgeon at one of the following accredited surgical facilities: Calgary Canadian Surgery Solutions (CSS) Rockyview Surgical Centre Vancouver Cambie Surgery Centre

This depends on several factors, most notably, the type of surgery you are having. At Ortho South, we provide all patients with a detailed post-operative recovery booklet specific to the type of surgery completed. Usually, this is personalized to reflect what exactly was done in your specific case, as no two surgeries are exactly alike. Our Ortho South post-operative recovery booklets provide extensive information about wound/dressing care, pain management, splints, activity, return to work/driving, physiotherapy protocols, and recovery timelines. Your Ortho South surgeon will go over these details with you before booking your surgery, and your surgeon will also be accessible directly via cell phone if you find there are issues not covered in the booklet that require clarification after your procedure.

Unfortunately, there are risks inherent in any surgery, and complications do occur. If you experience a complication after private orthopaedic surgery, Ortho South surgeons are regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons in their respective provinces and are required to establish a plan for continuity of care, as are orthopaedic surgeons providing care in the public system. Typically, the first point of contact if you experience a complication after surgery will be with your Ortho South surgeon directly, the Ortho South office staff, or another appropriate medical designate. After surgery, Ortho South patients are provided with detailed contact information and instructions for accessing help in an emergency, including direct cell phone access to their surgeon. Most complications/problems can be safely managed in the private system under the care of your Ortho South surgeon. In the rare situation where a problem/complication cannot be appropriately managed by your surgeon in the private system, your Ortho South surgeon or respective office staff will offer guidance on how to access appropriate care in the public system. Ortho South surgeons are required by the College to have an orthopedic surgeon designated in the public system for these rare occurrences. If your situation means that you require care from an orthopedic surgeon in the public system, your Ortho South surgeon will assist in accessing this care. By law, you cannot be denied care by a healthcare provider in the public system if a complication/problem cannot be safely managed in the private system after private surgery.

There is not one “best time” for surgery. This will depend on several factors such as the nature of the problem, your functional abilities and demands, and your own individual goals and treatment timelines. Wait times are fairly consistent for private surgery throughout the year. That said, there are often “slow-down” periods during the summer months and around Christmas holidays which can sometimes limit access to operating facilities during those periods. Fortunately, as many patients decide to put off having surgery during holiday periods, less demand means better access for those patients who simply want to have surgery as soon as possible! Ultimately, it is best to speak to your Ortho South surgeon about the time that works best for YOU! This request can likely be accommodated in the private system.

Unfortunately, there are currently no private surgery facilities anywhere in BC accredited to offer major procedures such as total hip and knee replacement. This is regulated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. If you are willing to travel, however, Ortho South surgeons can provide total hip and knee replacement surgeries for you in Calgary at the Canadian Surgery Solutions (CSS) facility. CSS is accredited by the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta to perform these procedures. Assessment and follow-up can occur in Vancouver or virtually at your discretion.

As the best treatment option for your orthopaedic problem often depends on several factors, including the nature of the problem, your functional abilities and demands, your individual goals and treatment timelines, it is best to start your surgical journey at Ortho South by booking a consultation with one of our surgeons. You can also contact our main office for additional information.