Your first appointment

Getting a referral

This is a referral-based practice. Your family physician, nurse practitioner, or treating physician can help arrange a referral and provide the relevant clinical information and imaging reports.

A referral is an assessment request, not a decision that surgery is needed. The visit is an opportunity to connect your symptoms with the examination and imaging, and discuss a plan.

If your referral was declined, this is most often because Dr. Sarraj reviewed your imaging and determined that surgery is not an option for your condition. He will have sent advice or suggestions for other referral options to your referring provider.

What to bring

• Your health card and appointment details.
• An up-to-date medication list, including supplements, and your allergies.
• Details of previous spine operations, treatments, and injections.
• Actual imaging, not only a report. Dr. Sarraj needs to review the images. Our office can access imaging from major hospitals in Ontario, as well as KMH and GNMI. If your MRI was done elsewhere, bring the imaging on a disc or share your PocketHealth access with our office.
• Your main questions and a short description of how symptoms affect your daily life.

What happens at the visit

The assessment usually includes your medical history, a physical examination, and a review of available imaging. Further tests may be needed before a recommendation can be made.

You may discuss non-operative treatment, monitoring, or surgery. If an operation is proposed, ask for its name so you can find the relevant guide here.

Before you leave

• What is my diagnosis, and which symptoms does it explain?
• What are my options and the next step?
• Which new symptoms should make me seek help sooner?
• Who should I contact for results or follow-up?

Appointment details

Use the location, time, and contact number on your appointment confirmation. Dr. Sarraj holds appointments at more than one hospital; your appointment may not be at the same site as your surgery.