SPINE TRIAGE

SPINE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

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CLICK HERE FOR THE SPINE ASSESSMENT REGISTRATION PAGE

As of October 17, 2022, Caleo Health Spine has joined the Alberta Facilitated Access to Specialized Treatment (FAST) program. Please update your outbound fax numbers to include the Alberta FAST office toll-free fax number 1-833-627-7023 which can be used for all future SPINE referrals.

The Alberta FAST program is supporting better access to surgical consultation by checking referrals for completeness and assigning them to the requested clinic/provider or the next available clinic/provider.

CALEO HEALTH SPINE: A partnership of Spine Surgeons associated with the University of Calgary.  The team also consists of; Spine Focused Physicians, Physiatrists, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors & other Allied Health Professionals.

We are a multidisciplinary patient-focused centre with a structured triage approach with an emphasis on diagnostic and treatment recommendations.  The assessment process is designed to provide: single-site management of your condition(s), coordinate investigations and optimize care processes.  Caleo Health has instituted a document review and assessment process to internally triage referrals.

We offer a continuum of care where patients are referred to the most appropriate healthcare provider for the management and treatment of the diagnosed condition.

Why: To address a critical delay in access to multidisciplinary assessment and management of patients with spinal diseases and injuries.

What: You have been referred for assessment with our triage team: Spine Focused Physician, Physiotherapist/Chiropractor and rehabilitation coordinators.  The assessment team will review your file with one of our surgeons and/or they will refer you to the appropriate specialist when deemed necessary. You will not see a surgeon on your first visit.

THE PATIENT JOURNEY

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

REFERRAL

REGISTER ONLINE

eCONSULTATION

ASSESSMENT

DIAGNOSIS

TREATMENT

Based on the historical outcomes data, greater than 50% of spine patients referred to Caleo Health have been determined to be non-surgical.

~ 44% of the spine assessment patients at Caleo Health meet the criteria of a surgical candidate

~ 56% of spine patients are deemed non-surgical

“Urgent” Surgical

2%

“Probable” Surgical

10%

“Routine” Surgical

32%

“Non-Surgical”

56%

PATIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSESSED AND  DEEMED APPROPRIATE FOR SURGICAL INTERVENTION WILL RECEIVE A FORMAL CONSULTATION WITH A SPINE SURGEON.  ROUTINE CONSULTATION WITH THE SPINE SURGEON MAY TAKE 18-24 MONTHS

NON-SURGICAL PATIENTS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH APPROPRIATE TREATMENT RECOMMENDATION(S) AND/OR REFERRAL.

THE INITIAL VISIT TO CALEO HEALTH

The initial visit to Caleo Health focuses on evaluating your most critical area of complaint.  The goal is to provide you and your physician; with the most responsible diagnosis, subsequent care pathway recommendation(s) and/or the referral(s) necessary for the treatment of your spinal condition.

As part of the assessment and management process a referral to one (1) or more of the following may be necessary:

  • Investigational Studies: MRI, X-Ray, CT, etc.
  • Electro-diagnostics: such as EMG or NCS studies.
  • Pain Clinic: Physiatry evaluation & treatment (facet: injections, nerve blocks, etc.)
  •  Allied Health Professional: such as specific/specialized physiotherapy and/or Chiropractic.
  • Medical Specialist:  as deemed necessary by the assessment team
  • Surgical Specialist: further consultation with a surgeon to discuss surgical options.

What you need to know to prepare for your spine assessment at Caleo Health

Patients are required to complete the Spine Assessment registration & make their payment Online before receiving a Spine Assessment appointment with the interdisciplinary team.

Please visit our home page at www.caleohealth.ca and click the orange Get Started button to access the online Spine Assessment sign-up page.

  • Patients should make all attempts to have a copy of all available Disc(s) with relevant X-rays, MRI and CT images prior to the assessment.  You may consider asking your physician’s office to assist you with obtaining the required images.

*We suggest all relevant images be ordered and available at the time of the assessment when possible; including diagnostic images completed at any Alberta Health Services facility.

  • The Spine Assessment will be approximately one hour in length and performed by our interdisciplinary assessment team.  Please dress comfortably.
  • FEE:  There is a fee of $300.00 charged to the patient for the initial appointment.  The assessment is only covered in part by your Provincial Health Insurance (i.e. Alberta Health).

  • The assessment is performed with a physiotherapist or chiropractor as part of the assessment team.  Physiotherapy and Chiropractic assessments are uninsured services through Albert Health. The fee you are required to pay is for uninsured services only.  It is the responsibility of the patient to cover the cost of all uninsured services.
  • TO AVOID A NO-SHOW OR LATE CANCELLATION FEE A MINIMUM OF 48 HOURS NOTICE IS REQUIRED TO CHANGE OR CANCEL AN APPOINTMENT.

Changing or cancelling appointments in a timely manner allows for appointments to be filled efficiently and reduce wait times for others. Your cooperation is appreciated.  Thank you!

Our surgeons accept direct referrals from community-based physicians and access to a surgeon is not limited to only those that pay the fee.   However, the direct route may take up to 24 months for referrals to be seen in consult unless the surgeon is confident that this is an urgent surgical matter.  Approximately 80% of patients referred directly to a surgeon by their family physician are deemed non-surgical.   The result is a significant delay in access to spine care for patients that are truly surgical and frustration for non-surgical patients that have waited long periods with no outcome.

Individual surgeons have the right to decline direct referrals from time to time to manage their waitlists.  A surgeon may also decline a referral if there is no clear indication that the patient will benefit from surgical intervention.

The triage and assessment process is in place to assist non-surgical patients with obtaining timely treatment recommendations and access to the appropriate care pathways.  The process also serves to determine the urgency of a surgical patient so that care is not delayed for patients with urgent conditions.

Invoices for uninsured services will be provided and you may submit them to your extended healthcare plan. Payments can be made by: Credit Card or Debit; we do not accept personal cheques.