An estimated 424,384 surgeries are performed in Québec each year, with 75,000 to 100,000 of those being orthopedic procedures—including thousands of hand, wrist, and elbow surgeries such as carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release, Dupuytren's contracture surgery, and elbow replacement. Most medically necessary upper-extremity surgeries are delivered through the publicly funded Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ).
Unlike Ontario, Québec permits surgeons to "opt out" of RAMQ, allowing them to provide private hand, wrist, and elbow surgery directly to Québec residents within the province. Surgeons listed below who are opted-out will note "Accepting patients from all provinces."
Québec has the most established private surgical landscape in Canada, and Greater Montréal is at the centre of it. Opted-out upper-extremity surgeons and private clinics operate across the island and surrounding communities (Laval, Saint-Hubert, Joliette), offering privately funded carpal tunnel release, tendon repair, Dupuytren's surgery, elbow arthroscopy, and elbow replacement procedures.
Current regulations: Québec's regulatory environment is more permissive than Ontario's. Surgeons who opt out of RAMQ may charge patients directly for services, including some medically necessary procedures. This has allowed a parallel private system to develop alongside the public one. Regulations continue to evolve, and not all hand, wrist, and elbow procedures or surgeons are available privately.
What this means for you: Greater Montréal residents generally have more in-province private upper-extremity surgery options than patients in most other Canadian provinces. Depending on your procedure, you may be able to access private care without travelling out of province.
