Joint Replacement HawaiiPaul N. Morton, MD · Hip & Knee
(808) 439-6201Schedule Appointment

The fly-in patient program

Have your surgery — and your recovery — in Hawai‘i

World-class robotic joint replacement at Honolulu's leading hospitals, wrapped in a program built for traveling patients: consultation from home, one trip, a team that stays with you, and recovery somewhere worth recovering.

  • 10–14 day typical stay
  • Walk the same day
  • US-accredited hospitals
  • Travel coordination can be arranged
Book a ConsultationCall (808) 439-6201

Why patients fly here

Mainland-level medicine. Island-level care.

A surgeon, not a brochure

Board-certified, double fellowship-trained, and the first surgeon in Hawai‘i to perform robotic hip replacement and smart knee replacement. You know exactly who is operating.

Weeks, not waitlists

Patients from Guam and across the Pacific often face months-long queues or off-island referrals anyway. Here, consultation to surgery is typically measured in weeks.

Recovery that helps you heal

Warm weather, flat walking paths, and a care team minutes away. Early mobility drives joint replacement outcomes — Hawai‘i makes patients want to move.

Couple holding hands and walking along the shoreline at Makapu'u Beach on O'ahu, with the lighthouse ridge behind them.
Early recovery is built around gentle daily walking — and O‘ahu's beaches and warm air make patients want to move.

How it works

One trip. Five steps.

  1. Telehealth consultation

    Because you can’t easily come in first, you meet Dr. Morton on a video visit from home. We review your imaging and history, and decide together whether surgery is right.

  2. One-trip planning

    Your surgery date and pre-op testing are scheduled around a single trip, and your rehab protocol goes to a therapist near home. Flights, lodging and ground transport aren’t part of that — they can be arranged for you through the Rapid Recovery Concierge if you’d like the help.

  3. Surgery in Honolulu

    Robotic-assisted, muscle-sparing surgery at a nationally accredited hospital or surgery center. Most patients walk the same day.

  4. Recover in Hawai‘i

    Early recovery happens minutes from the beach — wound checks, physical therapy, and a care team that knows you by name.

  5. Fly home confident

    Fit-to-fly clearance, travel precautions, records for your home doctor, and telehealth follow-ups already on the calendar.

A typical stay

Sample knee or hip replacement itinerary

WhenWhat happens
Before you travelTelehealth consult, local imaging, medical clearance, surgery dates & cost confirmation
Day 1–2Arrive in Honolulu · in-person exam & final pre-op testing
Day 3Surgery — robotic-assisted, muscle-sparing, opioid-sparing · walk the same day
Day 4–10Physical therapy, wound check, gentle recovery time (yes, the beach counts)
Day 10–14Final check & fit-to-fly clearance · fly home with a full care plan
After you're homeScheduled telehealth follow-ups · coordination with your local physician & therapist

Exact timing varies by procedure and health status — your written plan may differ.

Where you'll stay

Recovery-friendly lodging, minutes from your care team

Traveling patients heal best in a room built for it, close to the clinic — Waikiki properties like the Outrigger family of resorts are popular choices, with elevators, walkable surroundings, and the beach right outside. Book it yourself, or have lodging, travel and ground transportation arranged for you through the Rapid Recovery Concierge.

Hotel room with lanai views of Diamond Head and the ocean at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort.
Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort — oceanfront rooms with Diamond Head views
Modern guest room with ocean-inspired decor at the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber hotel.
Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber — modern rooms in the heart of Waikiki
Guest room with city view at the Ohana Waikiki East by Outrigger hotel in Honolulu.
Ohana Waikiki East by Outrigger — a comfortable value option near everything

Lodging is arranged directly with the hotel of your choice; the practice is not affiliated with any property.

Where are you flying from?

Information for your region

Neighbor Islands

Hawai‘i Island, Maui, Kauai, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i

Guam & Saipan

TRICARE & Medicare welcome · No passport needed

Samoa & American Samoa

Direct flights from Pago Pago

Philippines

English-speaking care team

日本 — Japan

Japanese-language information

한국 — Korea

Korean-language information

Read this site in your language:日本語한국어TagalogIlokanoไทยTiếng Việt中文（廣東話）Chuukese

Fly-in patient FAQs

How long do I need to stay in Hawai‘i after joint replacement?
Most fly-in patients plan 10–14 days in Hawai‘i for a hip or knee replacement: arrive a few days before surgery for final testing, walk the same day as surgery, complete wound checks and early physical therapy, then fly home once Dr. Morton confirms you are fit to travel. Shorter procedures like arthroscopy may need only a few days.
Is it safe to fly after joint replacement surgery?
Yes, with precautions. Dr. Morton uses blood-clot prevention protocols and clears every traveling patient before flight. Longer flights are planned with aisle seating, movement breaks, compression, and blood thinners as appropriate.
Can I do my consultation before traveling?
Yes — that’s how the program is designed. Because most traveling patients can’t easily come in for a first appointment, your consultation can start by telehealth. We arrange X-rays or MRI near your home, review your records, and confirm the surgical plan before you ever book a flight.
What will it cost?
If you have US insurance (including HMSA, Medicare, TRICARE, and most major plans), your surgery is billed like any other — many neighbor island and Pacific patients pay little beyond travel. For international and uninsured patients, transparent self-pay packages bundle the surgeon, facility, anesthesia, implant, and follow-up care into one price. You’ll know the number before you travel.
Who coordinates travel, lodging, and physical therapy?
The office coordinates the medical half; travel and lodging are arranged separately. As part of your care, the office schedules your surgery and pre-op testing, requests and reviews your records, arranges imaging near your home, verifies your insurance benefits and puts an estimate in writing, sets up your telehealth follow-ups, and shares Dr. Morton’s written rehabilitation protocols with a physical therapist near you — then stays in contact with you and your home physician after you return. Flights, lodging, ground transportation on O‘ahu and full trip management are not bundled into that, but they can be arranged for you: it is what the TotalCare Elite level of the Rapid Recovery Concierge is built for, and inter-island travel and lodging coordination is also available on its own. Ask your coordinator and you will get the options in writing before anything is booked.
What happens if I need follow-up care after I go home?
You’ll have scheduled telehealth follow-ups with Dr. Morton, and we coordinate with a physician or therapist near your home for anything hands-on. Persona IQ® smart knee patients are monitored remotely — the implant itself reports recovery data to your care team.
What if English isn’t my first language?
Cantonese- and Korean-speaking translators are available for your visits. You can also write to us in your own language, and this site has patient pages in Japanese, Korean, Cantonese (Traditional Chinese), Tagalog, Ilocano, Thai, Vietnamese, and for the Chuukese community.

Start with a telehealth consultation

Send your information and our surgical coordinator will reach out to plan your evaluation — or call (808) 439-6201 (Hawai‘i Standard Time). Ask about travel and lodging coordination when you do, and we will walk you through the options.

Book a ConsultationCall (808) 439-6201

Paul Norio Morton, MD, FAAOS, FAAHKS · Hawai‘i’s first robotic hip & smart knee · Read patient reviews →

Most major plans accepted — we verify benefits before your visit.

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