Q: What is a hip replacement?
A hip replacement (total hip replacement) is an orthopaedic surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced with man-made devices called prostheses. Replacing the hip joint consists of replacing both the ball (femoral head) and the socket (acetabulum).
Q: Where will I be referred to have this surgery?
Ask your doctor/specialist where you can have your hip replacement surgery, as this procedure is performed in the following hospitals:
Eastern Zone
General Hospital – Health Sciences Centre – St. John’s
St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital – St. John’s
Central Zone
James Paton Memorial Hospital – Gander
Western Zone
Western Memorial Regional Hospital – Corner Brook
Labrador-Grenfell Zone
Charles S. Curtis Memorial Hospital – St. Anthony
Q: How are wait times measured?
For this operation, the wait time is measured from when you and your orthopaedic surgeon decide to proceed with surgery to when the procedure is completed.
Q: What is the benchmark wait time for hip replacement surgery?
The national benchmark for hip replacement is 182 days. This means that orthopaedic surgeons and the Zones are working together to perform the majority of hip replacements within the 182-day target. The most recent wait times for hip replacement surgery are:
Table 1: Hip Replacement Surgery by Zone for Q1 (April 1 – June 30, 2023-24)
| Wait Time Information | Zone | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Zones | Central Zone | Western Zone | Labrador-Grenfell Zone | |
| Number of hip replacement procedures completed | 141 | 41 | 33 | 24 |
| 5 out of 10 patients had surgery within this number of days | 260 | 113 | 78 | 346 |
| 9 out of 10 patients had surgery within this number of days | 595 | 550 | 363 | 558 |
| Percentage of patients who had surgery within 182 days | 38% | 64% | 80% | 27% |
Data source: Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS), Newfoundland and Labrador