Waitlist

Public vs. Private

Typical Wait Times (after initial visit to a G.P.)

  1. Wait to see a specialist for initial consultation
    • Public: 6 – 12 months
    • Private: 10 days
  2. Wait for diagnostic imaging (excluding X-Rays) after seeing surgeon
    • Public: 4 – 8 months
    • Private: 24 hours
  3. Wait for a biopsy (if necessary)
    • Public: 2 months
    • Private: 4 days
  4. Wait for pathological analysis of tissue
    • Public: 14 days
    • Private: 1 – 3 days
  5. Wait for follow-up visit to surgeon to discuss results of diagnostics
    • Public: 1 – 3 months
    • Private: 7 days
  6. Wait for a surgical/hospital date to be set
    • Public: 6 – 18 months
    • Private: 1 day
  7. Wait for surgery after date is set
    • Public: 6 – 10 months
    • Private: 7 days

Note: One additional consideration – if a surgical date is scheduled in the public system, it is entirely possible that the patient will be “bumped” either because a more urgent case has taken priority or due to a shortage of beds. In some jurisdictions, e.g. Ottawa, this practice is very common (one of our clients with a life threatening abdominal aortic aneurysm was bumped/cancelled five times). In the private system (short of the surgeon being hit by a bus on the day of the surgery), cancellations are non-existent.

About Us

Timely Medical Alternatives Inc. was founded in 2003 as Canada's first facilitator of private pay medical services and diagnostic imaging. Since then, we have expedited private medical services for thousands of clients and in the process, have saved the lives of 6 of our fellow Canadians.

Services

Timely Medical Alternatives Inc. is able to expedite virtually any surgery, diagnostic imaging, or biopsy. Many of our private medical services are available in Canada; some are available in the US, where we have a network of hospitals and private medical services clinics with which we work. There is no charge for our service.

Procedure

The role of our firm is to act as a facilitator, brining our clients together with private medical services and clinics which can provide the needed services and / or procedures in a timely manner. Once arrangements have been made to the mutual satisfaction of our client and their physician, we have no ongoing involvement in the doctor-patient relationship.

Waitlist

This distinguishing feature of Canadian public healthcare is the nearly universal waitlists for virtually all diagnostic procedures and for surgeries. We are able to facilitate private medical services and diagnostics within 2 – 3 days and surgeries as quickly as 48 hours, in urgent cases. Many of our referrals are to facilities within Canada.