Orthopedics
Orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery is a highly specialized field of medicine. It is focused on treating conditions of the musculoskeletal system for people of all ages. Similar to many other surgical specialties, extensive training is required that includes a five-year residency after medical school and, in many cases, additional 1-2 year fellowships focused on orthopedic subspecialties such as spine surgery, pediatric orthopedics, shoulder/elbow surgery, sports medicine, total joint reconstruction, hand surgery, and others. Orthopedic surgery is very competitive, with the majority of practitioners being male physicians. Board certification by the American Board of Medical Specialties or the American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery means the orthopedic surgeon has met the strict requirements of their respective fields.
FAQS
Frequently asked questions about surgical procedures
Can I use my insurance and get these prices?
Payment is due 14 calendar days prior to your surgery date. If, after the cutoff, your account is not settled, your case must be postponed.
How quickly can I have surgery?
How will I meet my surgeon?
If I had a car or work accident, would you work with my employer or attorney for payment?
What if I get sick right before my surgery?
You could develop a respiratory infection, a urinary tract infection, COVID, or some other condition that may necessitate postponement. There is no penalty when this happens.
What’s Included:
- Facility fee
- Graft and hardware costs (if needed)
- Surgeon and assistant surgeon fees
- Anesthesiologist
- Time in the recovery unit (at no additional charge)
- Initial consultation visit
- One post-operative visit
*Please note: If you choose not to proceed with surgery after the initial consultation, or if you delay your procedure for more than 6 weeks, you will need to update your consultation at a cost of $375.
What’s not included:
- Lab testing before and after the surgery, as needed
- Electrocardiogram (EKG), depending on age. If you had one elsewhere in the past 6 months and it read “normal”, we can forego this expense.
- Imaging costs. X-rays and MRIs can be obtained anywhere.
- Physical therapy services
- Medications you’ll need (oral or IV antibiotic infusions if an infection arises)
- Wound care
- Bracing supplies
- Additional doctor visits (a pre-operative visit with the surgeon, in person, and any required post-op follow-ups after the suture removal to monitor your progress
- Additional surgical intervention if a complication arises
- Additional imaging or hospital care if a blood clot develops
Future of Orthopedics
With an ever-increasing aging population, orthopedic surgeons are having no trouble filling their surgical schedules. With an increasing Medicare-qualified patient population, orthopedic surgeons are facing the two-fold issue of lower reimbursements and increased costs associated with running a thriving practice. Medicare-qualified patients may see a dramatic decrease in access to care as specialists in many fields, such as orthopedics, must decide which patients to treat first. If it costs more to treat a patient than what is reimbursed to the provider, surgeons will be forced to limit their practice to cash-paying and private third-party insurance patients. Patients in rural areas with limited access to providers could experience a shortage of well-qualified orthopedic surgeons and may be forced to travel larger distances for care.
5 Common Orthopedic Procedures:
1. Knee Arthroscopy and Meniscectomy
2. Shoulder Arthroscopy and Decompression
3. Carpal Tunnel Release.
4. Knee Chondroplasty.
5. Removal/Support Implants.
Sample Prices for Orthopedic Procedures:
1. Arthroscopy – $3,495.00 (knee) to $8,935.00 (hip)
2. ACL Reconstruction – $6,335.00
3. Total Knee – $14,990.00
4. Total Hip – $17,985.00
5. Carpal Tunnel Release $2,790.00
Can I Travel to St George for Surgery?
Yes, and we’ll help you make all your arrangements.
- We have arrangements to try to obtain free flights through a non-profit volunteer pilot organization. We can do this with 10 days’ advance notice in most cases.
- We have discount codes for the Holiday Inn in town. This hotel is 1.5 miles from the surgery center and 2 miles from our clinic.
- We’ll arrange to send your after-surgery medications to your hometown pharmacy for pickup before you leave.
What if I would rather drive to St George?
No problem, we can help with those plans as well. When you have surgery with us, we’ll need to make sure you’re safe and comfortable after surgery. We’ll arrange cold compression therapy that requires an AC/DC adaptor/transformer and frequent stops to stretch and refill the ice reservoir on the road.
We’ll ask about the vehicle you’ll travel in to ensure you have a way to elevate and stretch out in the vehicle on the road while someone else does the driving.
How are follow-up and initial consultations handled?
In-person and telehealth consultations are possible with the surgeon to whom your case is assigned. The initial visit is included in the surgical package and is valued at $375.
We can also obtain the flights from the volunteer pilot nonprofit if you’d like to come for initial and follow-up visits in person. One follow-up visit is included in the surgical package at a value of $175. Any additional visits are charged at the time of service to your credit or debit card.
Transparent Pricing Guide
Find out the exact cost of your procedure in seconds, with no hidden fees, no surprises, and complete transparency every step of the way.