Still waiting for a hip or knee replacement? There are two other doors.
You’ve been told you need the operation. You’re waiting for a date. Most people don’t know they have other ways forward — and both of them start with a conversation.
- Seen within one to two weeks
- A single written quote before anything is booked
- Surgery at Ashford or Burnside Hospital, by me
What the wait really looks like
I operate in the public system as well as privately, so I see both sides of this every week.
The public elective surgery dashboard measures your wait from the day you are placed on the surgical list. It does not count the months you waited to be seen in an outpatient clinic first, or the time between being seen and being listed. For a hip or knee replacement, those hidden stretches are often longer than the official one. Put together, the whole journey can run to years — and while you wait, the joint gets no better and the rest of you gets less fit for surgery.
None of that is a criticism of the people working in public hospitals. It is simply the arithmetic of demand. But it does mean that “wait” is not your only option, and nobody in the system is paid to tell you what the others are.
You can read SA Health’s own figures on the elective surgery dashboard. Remember that the clock there starts at listing, not at the start of your pain.
Both start with the same appointment
Whichever door suits you, the first step is the same: I see you, examine you, look at your imaging, and tell you plainly what I would do and when.
The self-funded pathway
Self-funded means you pay for the operation yourself rather than through an insurer. It is the same surgery, the same theatre, the same implant and the same surgeon as an insured patient — the only difference is who pays the hospital.
- One written quote covering my fee, the anaesthetist, the hospital stay and the implant. No surprises after the fact.
- Seen within one to two weeks; surgery usually within weeks of the decision.
- Medicare still rebates part of the surgeon’s and anaesthetist’s fees when you have a valid referral.
Some people can use their super. The Australian Taxation Office can release superannuation early on compassionate grounds to pay for surgery that relieves chronic pain and is not readily available through the public health system. That description fits many people on a long waiting list. It needs two medical reports — one from a specialist, which I can provide if it is clinically true — and the ATO makes the decision, not us. There are tax consequences, and you should get your own financial advice before applying.
Get insured, then come back
If self-funding isn’t right for you, hospital cover is the other road. I want to be straight about the timing: private health funds apply a twelve-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions, and a worn joint that is already on a public list counts as pre-existing. So this is a twelve-month plan — which is still usually shorter than the list.
- Joint replacement sits in the Gold tier of hospital cover. Some “Silver Plus” products include it — check that the policy names joint replacements before you sign.
- I’ll see you now, so the plan is ready on the day your waiting period ends.
- You stay on the public list the whole time. Nothing here removes you from it.
I can’t recommend a fund or a product — that is your decision, or a broker’s. What I can do is tell you exactly what the operation will need covered.
Not sure which door? That is the most common answer, and it is fine. Tell me where you’re at below and we will call you to talk it through. There is no obligation and no cost for the call.
From the waiting list to a date
Tell us where you’re at
The short form below, or a phone call. Which joint, how long you’ve waited, whether you have cover.
We call you back
Usually the same or next working day, to answer your questions and book a consultation if you want one.
Consultation within 1–2 weeks
Examination, imaging review, and a plain conversation about what I would do. Bring your GP referral and any X-rays.
A written quote, then a date
If you choose to go ahead self-funded, one itemised quote, then a surgery date — usually within weeks.
We’ll call you back
A few questions so the call is useful. No forms to print, nothing to sign up to.
Prefer to talk now? Call 08 7081 4100 during clinic hours.
Before you decide
Is self-funded surgery any different from insured surgery?
No. Same hospital, same theatre, same implant, same surgeon and same follow-up. The only thing that changes is who pays the hospital account. The written quote is what makes it manageable: you know the whole number before you decide.
Can I really use my super for this?
Some people can. The ATO can release super early on compassionate grounds for surgery that relieves chronic pain and is not readily available through the public system. It requires two medical reports, one from a specialist, and an itemised quote. The ATO decides each application on its merits, there are tax consequences, and you should take your own financial advice. We don’t prepare the application for you, and the ATO doesn’t allow third-party application fees to be paid from the release.
Do I need a referral to see you?
You don’t need one to book, but a current GP referral means Medicare rebates part of the consultation and the surgical fees, so it is worth getting. If you have already been seen in a public clinic, your GP will have the letters.
Will I lose my place on the public waiting list?
No. Seeing me privately doesn’t change your public listing. You only come off the list if you have the operation elsewhere, and that will be your decision.
How soon could surgery happen?
For a self-funded patient, usually within a few weeks of the decision, depending on theatre availability and your fitness for surgery. For someone taking out insurance, the fund’s twelve-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions applies first.
What if I’m not sure the operation is even right for me?
Then the consultation is worth more, not less. A second look at the joint, the imaging and your goals sometimes changes the plan — a partial rather than a total knee, for example, or something other than surgery for now. I’ll tell you what I honestly think.
This page is general information, not financial advice. Decisions about superannuation and health insurance are yours to make with your own adviser. Surgery carries risks, which I will discuss with you in person; any decision to operate is made together after a consultation.
Dr Yas Edirisinghe FRACS
Specialist hip and knee surgeon. Consulting and operating at Ashford and Burnside Hospitals, Adelaide. Director of Orthopaedic Surgeon Training, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network.