The Out-of-Province Hip & Knee Surgical Initiative was a short-term initiative introduced in 2023 to leverage private sector surgical resources in Calgary, Alberta to help address COVID-related backlogs of long-waiting joint replacement patients. To meet the needs of Saskatchewan people in the longer term, multiple investments were also made in the health system in Saskatchewan to build up surgical capacity locally. In 2023-24, the number of joint replacement surgeries performed in Saskatchewan was 50 per cent higher than the number of surgeries performed pre-COVID (in 2019-20). The number of patients waiting longer than 12 months for joint replacement surgery has fallen from a high of 3,171 in June 2022 to 715 in June 2024.
Intake for the Out-of-Province Surgical Initiative has now closed.
By September 30, 2024, it is expected that up to 120 long-waiting joint replacement patients will have taken this opportunity to have their surgery at a private surgical centre in Calgary.
Patients currently waiting for joint replacement surgery should ensure they are participating in the provincial pooled referral program to be directed to the soonest available surgeon in Saskatchewan.
More information
New centralized hip and knee replacement surgery referral system giving patients more options
Surgery - Information for Patients