The fly-in patient program

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

World-class hip and knee replacement at Honolulu's leading hospitals, wrapped in a program built for traveling patients: a pre-travel video call 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 Consultation Call (808) 439-6201

Online scheduling opens Klara, our secure booking service; a real person confirms within one business day.

Why patients fly here

Mainland-level medicine. Island-level care.

A surgeon, not a brochure

Board-certified, 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.

Pre-travel video call
Because you can’t easily come in first, you start with a video call from home: a review of your records and imaging to plan your trip. Your evaluation and treatment begin at your in-person visit in Hawai‘i.
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.
Surgery in Honolulu
Muscle-sparing surgery at a nationally accredited hospital, with robotic assistance for knees. Most patients walk the same day.
Recover in Hawai‘i
Early recovery happens minutes from the beach — wound checks, physical therapy, and a care team that knows you by name.
Fly home confident
Fit-to-fly clearance, travel precautions, records for your home doctor, and a follow-up plan: video visits if you live in Hawai‘i, or your local physician and therapist if you live elsewhere.

A typical stay

Sample knee or hip replacement itinerary

When	What happens
Before you travel	Pre-travel records & imaging review by video, medical clearance, surgery dates & cost confirmation
Day 1–2	Arrive in Honolulu · in-person exam & final pre-op testing
Day 3	Surgery — muscle-sparing, opioid-sparing, robotic-assisted for knees · walk the same day
Day 4–10	Physical therapy, wound check, gentle recovery time (yes, the beach counts)
Day 10–14	Final check & fit-to-fly clearance · fly home with a full care plan
After you're home	Outside Hawai‘i: follow-up coordinated with your local physician & therapist · Neighbor islands: video follow-ups with Dr. Morton

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.

Patients who travelled for surgery

“I was very impressed by Dr. Morton. He cares for his patients and he explains the different procedures so that we can understand and I like that he doesn’t pressure us in doing something and he gives us a lot of options. I came in from Kaua’i and I’m glad I did get to see him.”
— Ronald Y. · Google review · 2023
“He is amazing & so is his staff. Dr. Morton’s “no fuss, let’s get it done” approach was greatly appreciated. The pain I had experienced for way too long was gone the moment I opened my eyes from surgery.”
— Donna U. · Google review · 2026
“I first had TKR on my left knee and it went so well, I had TKR on my right knee seven months later. This was 15 and 8 months ago and I am back to doing all the activities that I hobbled through for so many years. 5 Stars may not be enough.”
— Dean P. · Google review · 2023

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:Español 日本語 한국어 Tagalog Ilokano ไทย Tiếng 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?

You can start before traveling — that’s how the program is designed. Because most traveling patients can’t easily come in for a first appointment, you begin with a pre-travel video call from home: you share your records and imaging, and we review them to plan your trip before you ever book a flight. Dr. Morton is licensed in Hawai‘i, so from outside Hawai‘i that call is not an evaluation or treatment — those begin at your in-person visit in Hawai‘i. From another country, the call runs on doxy.me: the office sends you the link, and it opens in the web browser on a phone, tablet or computer.

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 telehealth follow-ups if you live in Hawai‘i, 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 Elite Recovery level of the Rapid Recovery Concierge is built for. 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?

If you live in Hawai‘i, your follow-ups can be video visits with Dr. Morton. If you live outside Hawai‘i, follow-up is coordinated with your local physician and therapist — Dr. Morton is licensed in Hawai‘i, so video follow-ups with him are for times you’re physically in Hawai‘i.

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 Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Cantonese (Traditional Chinese), Tagalog, Ilocano, Thai, Vietnamese, and for the Chuukese community.

Start with a pre-travel video call

Send your information and our surgical coordinator will reach out to set up your pre-travel video call — 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.