When long wait times, deteriorating patient health, and a lack of transparency around surgical options collide, the result is a healthcare bottleneck that leaves many Canadians in pain and limbo. Dr. Sean Haffey, a family physician and founder of Surgency.ca, is determined to change that. And the private sector is where he is making it happen.
“I started seeing patients waiting months—sometimes years—for surgeries that were clearly affecting their quality of life,” Dr. Haffey explained. “We’re talking about worsening pathology, mobility issues, and serious mental health fallout. I realized: we need a better way.”
That better way became Surgency.ca —a digital platform designed to connect patients with licensed private surgeons across Canada.
Why Surgency Was Born
Surgency emerged from Dr. Haffey’s own frustrations with the Canadian system’s inertia. “There was no centralized place for patients to get private surgery information in Canada,” he said. “If someone wanted to explore their options, it was confusing, opaque, and often involved going abroad. That’s not good enough.”
The platform, launched in May 2025, quickly gained traction. Surgeons were eager to participate, patients were actively seeking solutions, and the gaps in the current system became even more apparent.
How It Works
Surgency operates on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. Surgeons subscribe to the platform and maintain enhanced profiles, while patients access the site for free. They can search by specialty and geography, read about procedures, and contact private surgeons directly.
“Our goal is to make it easy for patients to find timely care,” Dr. Haffey said. “We’re not here to pull people out of the public system—we’re here for the people already falling through the cracks.”
Market Reception: “It Blew Up Overnight”
The interest has been immediate and intense.
“Within days of going live, we were getting inbound leads from patients and surgeons,” said Dr. Haffey. “It really blew up overnight. That just tells you how ready the market is for this kind of service.”
Many surgeons are already practicing privately; others are still navigating how to legally structure their practices within provincial regulations.
Addressing Myths About Private Care
One of Dr. Haffey’s missions is to demystify private healthcare. “There’s this idea that private care is somehow unethical or inaccessible,” he said. “But private surgical options have always existed in Canada—and they’re fully legal. What hasn’t existed is clarity.”
He believes that offering private options doesn’t undermine the public system—it strengthens it. “Every surgery done privately is one fewer on the public waitlist. It’s about giving people choice and dignity.”
Innovation, AI, and the Future of Canadian Healthcare
Dr. Haffey is also watching the impact of AI in primary care closely. “I don’t think AI will replace doctors,” he said. “But it can massively reduce the administrative and cognitive load we face. If we do this right, AI will improve the quality of work and life for family doctors.”
Looking forward, Dr. Haffey wants Surgency to become Canada’s leading platform for surgical access. “We want to be the best digital gateway to surgery in Canada,” he said. “Eventually, yes—we’d love to be part of building modern surgical centres, too. But the platform comes first.”
A Welcome Ally
Dr. Haffey had praise for The Health Insider as well. “What you’re doing is so important—educating Canadians on their options and helping them navigate both public and private care. That’s exactly the kind of awareness we need.”
With a growing number of Canadians actively seeking alternatives to the public queue, platforms like Surgency—and voices like Dr. Haffey’s—are leading the way toward a more transparent, innovative, and patient-centred future.
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