General Information
Scarborough Health Network (SHN) is a recognized centre of excellence for providing musculoskeletal/orthopaedic care with one of the largest orthopaedics programs in Ontario. This care includes obtaining a detailed history from the patient, carrying out a careful physical examination, and undertaking appropriate investigations of the orthopaedic problem. This allows us to provide the most appropriate care, whether it is conservative treatment or surgical intervention.
We continually excel in meeting the provincial guidelines and benchmarks in providing efficient and quality orthopaedic care. Our staff and physicians recognize and appreciate that SHN serves a culturally diverse community, and we strive to make each patient experience the best we can.
Our Orthopaedics program is a centre of excellence and has some of the lowest wait times for knee total joint replacement in the province.
What We Offer
Our team performs more than 5,000 surgeries a year in all major disciplines, including:
- Assessment and care of all musculoskeletal problems
- Fracture care
- Total hip replacement
- Total knee replacement
- Oxford unicompartmental (partial) knee replacement
- Total shoulder replacement
- Total ankle replacement
- Revision total hip and knee replacement
- Complex spine care/surgery
- Sports medicine care
- Arthroscopic surgery (shoulder, elbow, knee, ankle)
- Complex ankle/foot care/surgery
- Upper extremity care/surgery
VELYS surgical robot
SHN’s Orthopaedics program offers robotic-assisted surgeries at our Birchmount Hospital using a 3rd generation VELYS surgical robot – a state-of-the-art system that allows our surgeons to plan and perform joint replacement procedures with greater precision and accuracy, resulting in less trauma to the surrounding tissues, faster recovery, and better function for patients.
Listen to what our surgeons have to say about the difference VELYS makes in the care they provide:
Our Healthcare Team
The orthopaedics division at SHN functions as the largest group of community-based orthopaedic surgeons in Ontario. Our group is 21 division members, spread across SHN’s three hospitals, and functions as one unit with a single purpose: to deliver the best quality of care to Scarborough and beyond. Our healthcare team consists of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Physician Assistants, Nurses, Clerks, and Orthopaedic Technicians.
Orthopaedics scorecards
Our Services
Orthopaedic Clinics and Services
SHN’s Fracture Clinic is dedicated to quality treatment and care of fractures. We operate out of all three hospitals: General (primary), Birchmount and Centenary. Patients are referred to the Fracture Clinic either through our Emergency Department (ED) or by a Family Physician, and triaged by our navigator to the best site and orthopaedic provider.
We offer consultations, management of fractures and surgical follow-up care. Our care team consists of orthopaedic surgeons, nurses and orthopaedic technologists to provide expert, quality, patient-centred care.
SHN’s Shoulder Clinic provides early access to health care professionals who specialize in the upper extremity (arm, wrist, and hand). Patients with acute or chronic shoulder pain are assessed within three weeks of referral and provided direct treatment, planned follow-up, and when required surgical consultation.
The clinic is designed to help patients with non-fracture related shoulder pain avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency department, after hours clinics and long waits for diagnostic tests. Patients will be provided with information about their condition and an individualized care plan.
Referring Patients
A physician referral is required for an assessment to be arranged.
You can refer via Ocean eReferral to the Scarborough Health Network (SHN) – Shoulder Clinic.
SHN, the Scarborough Ontario Health Team (SOHT), and Scarborough Family Physicians Network (SFPN) are working together to support healthcare providers in our community who may be interested in onboarding onto Ocean. Get started by completing the Ontario Health East online form.
SHN’s Orthopaedic Waitlist Clinic is an assessment clinic that provides quick access to orthopaedic surgeons specializing in hip and knee arthroplasty. The clinic focuses on initial consult, follow up, post-op as well as some treatment options such as injections.
The primary referral source is from any Ortho Rapid Access Clinic (ORAC), other surgeons, as well as General Practitioners.
Contact Us
Phone: 416-281-7499
Fax: 416-281-5092
Referring Patients
A physician referral is required for an assessment to be arranged.
You can refer via Ocean eReferral to the Scarborough Health Network (SHN) – Waitlist clinic.
SHN, the Scarborough Ontario Health Team (SOHT), and Scarborough Family Physicians Network (SFPN) are working together to support healthcare providers in our community who may be interested in onboarding onto Ocean. Get started by completing the Ontario Health East online form.
SHN’s Scoliosis Clinic provides consultation, assessment, and management of scoliosis up to age 22, as well as Kyphosis, Pectus and other paediatric spine conditions for youth.
We’re located at Centenary Hospital, 12th Floor, Galaxy 12.
Contact Us
Telephone: 416-281-7476
Fax: 416-281-7313
One of the first steps in your patient journey is to be seen at SHN’s Orthopaedic Rapid Access Clinic, which helps to provide faster treatment for musculoskeletal conditions, particularly hips and knees. Patients will be assessed at the clinic by a health care provider within four weeks of referral, and will be set up for the appropriate follow-up care. This helps to reduce the time it takes to see a specialist, begin treatment, and if necessary have surgery. If surgery is required, the clinic will assist in selecting a surgeon and appointment time.
Hip and Knee Patient Questionnaire
Before coming for your appointment at the clinic, you must complete the Hip and Knee Patient Questionnaire.
Hip and Knee Patient Education
SHN offers virtual classes to help you prepare for your joint replacement surgery so that you can achieve the best possible outcome. Learn more.
Referrals
You can refer via Ocean eReferral as well to the Hip and Knee Rapid Access Clinic at General Hospital.
Additional Resources
SHN’s Low Back Pain Rapid Access Clinic is an innovative, shared-care model of treatment that helps patients to address their health condition earlier. Patients with low back pain are assessed faster (less than four weeks on average), and are provided with education and an individualized plan so they can better self-manage their condition.
The clinic is designed to decrease how frequently patients experience unmanageable chronic low back pain, and reduce the need for diagnostic imaging tests or unnecessary specialist referrals. Patients will first be assessed by a local health care provider in the community, close to where they live. Then they will be set up with appropriate follow-up care, including a surgical consultation if needed.
Referring Patients
You can refer via Ocean eReferral as well to the Central East Regional Central Intake Rapid Access Clinic for Low Back Pain (RAC LBP).
Video Resource:
Access to Care
Ortho Navigator
We are updating our referral process to centralize referrals coming to SHN’s Orthopaedic program from both the Emergency Department and primary care providers. This involves introducing an Orthopaedic Navigator, who will triage the referrals based on urgency and subspeciality, and allocate them to a specific SHN hospital and orthopaedic provider.
Contact information
Email: orthonavigator@shn.ca
Make a Referral
Ocean eReferrals
We are now accepting Ocean eReferrals! For additional information, please email your Ontario Health East Deployment Team at contact@ereferralontarioeast.ca
Registering for Ocean
SHN, the Scarborough Ontario Health Team (SOHT), and Scarborough Family Physicians Network (SFPN) are working together to support healthcare providers in our community who may be interested in onboarding onto Ocean. Get started by completing the Ontario Health East online form.
PDF Referrals
Referral forms can be faxed to 416-431-8213 or e-mailed to: orthonavigator@shn.ca.
Helpful Referral Information for Providers
For ED providers, please enter “ortho clinic referral” through EPIC. An Ortho Navigator will triage and notify the patient about their appointment, including date and/or time.
Shoulder Clinic referrals: please refer to the ortho clinic and the navigator will triage appropriately.
Hip and Knee and Low Back Rapid Access Clinics: ask patient to follow-up with their primary care physician to get referral to the rapid access clinics.
Elective referrals: directly to an orthopaedic provider.
Send urgent referrals through Ocean or fax the referral form to 416-431-8213. The Ortho Navigator will triage these referrals to the fracture clinic.
Elective referrals: Please review the Orthopaedic Scorecard, and direct your referrals to the specific orthopaedic surgeon.
To refer directly to an arthroplasty surgeon, please refer to the Ortho Arthroplasty Scorecard.
For referrals to the Hip and Knee and Low Back Rapid Access Clinics: please refer to the clinic details.
Please see below for more referral information.
Learn how the referral process works. From emergency treatment to general services, SHN’s Orthopaedics team is sharing referral pathways (evidence-based guidelines to help in the management and treatment of specific ortho conditions) for physicians and providers alike:
Patient Education
Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery: Patient Education
Prepare for your hip or knee surgery, plan for your recovery, and learn what to expect during and after surgery.
Foot and Ankle Surgery: Patient Education
Learn more about common and complex foot and ankle surgeries.
Shoulder Replacement Surgery: Patient Education
Learn more about achieving the best outcomes from your joint replacement surgery.