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British Columbia Orthopedic Surgeon Billings Reach C$593,685, 7% Below Manitoba

  • Writer: nuaxia
    nuaxia
  • 21 hours ago
  • 3 min read

New physician payment data show orthopedic surgeons generated higher median gross billings in Manitoba than in British Columbia.


Orthopedic surgeons recorded median gross physician billings of C$593,685 in British Columbia, compared with C$639,365 in Manitoba, according to a new analysis of Canadian physician payment disclosures. While the figures represent gross fee-for-service billings rather than take-home income, they provide a valuable benchmark for orthopedic surgeons comparing practice revenue across provincial healthcare systems.

Key findings

A new analysis of public physician payment disclosures found that orthopedic surgeons recorded median gross fee-for-service billings of C$593,685 per physician in British Columbia. The analysis uses official physician payment disclosures from the British Columbia Medical Services Plan Blue Book (2024) and Manitoba Health (2024/25) to compare physician billings by specialty.

The findings show that orthopedic surgery remains one of the highest-billing physician specialties in both provinces, reflecting the specialty's high procedural workload and central role in managing musculoskeletal disease and trauma.

British Columbia versus Manitoba

British Columbia recorded median gross physician billings of C$593,685 for orthopedic surgeons, compared with C$639,365 in Manitoba.

The C$45,680 difference means median orthopedic surgery billings were approximately 7.7% higher in Manitoba than in British Columbia. While provincial fee schedules, reimbursement systems, surgical volumes and practice models differ, the findings illustrate how gross physician billings can vary across Canadian healthcare systems.

It is important to note that these figures represent gross fee-for-service billings before practice overhead, rather than physician salary or take-home income. Practice expenses—including staffing, premises, surgical equipment and other operating costs—will significantly reduce the amount ultimately retained by individual physicians.

Why orthopedic surgery billings are at this level

Orthopedic surgery combines specialist consultations with a high volume of operative procedures, trauma care and follow-up management, creating multiple billable activities throughout the patient pathway.

Joint replacement surgery, fracture fixation, arthroscopic procedures, sports injury management, hand surgery and postoperative care all contribute to fee-for-service activity. The specialty's procedural focus, together with ongoing outpatient care, can support consistently high levels of gross billings.

Gross billings are not take-home pay

The figures reported represent gross physician billings, not physician salaries or personal income.

These billings typically cover the cost of operating an orthopedic surgery practice, including:

  • Clinical and administrative staff

  • Practice premises

  • Surgical facilities

  • Orthopedic instruments and diagnostic equipment

  • Medical consumables

  • Professional indemnity and other overheads

Consequently, an orthopedic surgeon's net income will be substantially lower than the published billing figures.

The analysis also primarily reflects fee-for-service payments and does not fully capture physicians working under salaried or alternative funding arrangements.

What this means for orthopedic surgeons

For orthopedic surgeons benchmarking their practice or considering opportunities in different provinces, the findings provide a useful indication of how gross fee-for-service billings can vary across Canada.

However, billing figures should be interpreted as a measure of practice revenue rather than personal earnings. Differences in surgical case mix, operating room availability, reimbursement schedules and operating costs all influence the amount physicians ultimately retain.

As additional provincial payment disclosures become available, specialty-specific comparisons will provide a clearer picture of how orthopedic surgery billings vary across Canada's healthcare systems.

Source


The analysis uses physician payment disclosures from the British Columbia Medical Services Plan Blue Book (2024) and Manitoba Health (2024/25). Figures represent gross fee-for-service billings before overhead and should not be interpreted as physician salary or net income.


 

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