As you all know, these are unprecedented times. Currently our Transition-Related Surgery (TRS) Program at Women’s College Hospital is focusing our efforts on catching up on the backlog of cancelled surgeries and consultations after our program was on hold for several months. We recognize that this is an incredibly difficult time and that there will be significant negative impacts on our trans, non-binary and gender diverse communities as a result of this situation.
We believe that TRS is an essential and life-saving service. We are also part of the health care system that must respond to our current situation by doing what we can to keep you, your family, and your loved ones safe. We will be in touch with you when we are able to schedule an appointment. We appreciate your patience with delayed response times.
If you have questions about the referral process, please first review the “For Providers” tab below for detailed explanation of the elements required in a surgical referral.
If you are inquiring about the status of your referral, please first reach out to your referring physician. Upon receipt of any referral, we always send a response to your referring physician indicating that the referral has either been: accepted, declined or incomplete (requires further information). If your referring provider has not received such a response letter, please have them re-send the referral.
Transgender healthcare access issues are prominent in Canada and worldwide, with significant health gaps in access to skilled primary, emergency and specialty care services, which may include, for some individuals, access to medically necessary surgical services.
In response to a significant wait list for surgical referrals and lack of access to surgical services in publicly funded hospitals, Women’s College Hospital (WCH) has partnered with Sherbourne Health Centre including Rainbow Health Ontario (RHO), and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), along with a group of committed individuals from the community, to form the Trans Health Expansion Partnership (THEx).
THEx supports the expansion of health services for trans individuals and communities across Ontario. Under the umbrella of THEx, the Transition Related Surgery Sub-committee led by WCH, is charged with the goal of creating an accessible, and quality surgical program.
WCH is dedicated to supporting the health and wellness of our transgender and gender diverse clients. The surgical team of the Transition-Related Surgery (TRS) Program includes specialists in plastic surgery, urology, gynecology and anesthesiology as well as nurse practitioners, nurses and other health care providers. This program represents the first public hospital-based surgical program in Canada focused on providing safe and timely access to transition-related surgical care.
At WCH, we are dedicated to offering the safest proven surgical options for TRS. Working in partnership with our patients, we bring expertise, experience and a commitment to the highest quality of care and patient experience.
If you have questions about the TRS Program, the team can be reached at 416-323-6148 or transitionrelatedsurgery@wchospital.ca.
Through training and recruitment of clinical staff with specialized expertise, we are building a comprehensive trans surgical program. At this time, the following surgeries are available at Women’s College Hospital.
- Mastectomy with Chest contouring*
- Breast Augmentation**
- Hysterectomy
- Bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy
- Orchiectomy
- Scrotectomy
- Vaginoplasty
- Vulvaplasty
*currently not covered by OHIP, there is a $1500 +HST cost for this procedure
**currently covered by OHIP following 12 months continuous hormone therapy with no breast growth defined as Tanner Stage 1
- Hysterectomy
- Bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy
- Orchiectomy
- Scrotectomy
- Vaginoplasty
- Vulvaplasty
*currently not covered by OHIP, there is a $1500 +HST cost for this procedure
**currently covered by OHIP following 12 months continuous hormone therapy with no breast growth defined as Tanner Stage 1
Yonah Krakowsky, MD FRCS(C), TRS Medical Director
Emery Potter, NP-PHC, BSCN, MN, TRS Program Nurse Practitioner
Nahir Anashara, Nurse Practitioner
Olivia Drodge, TRS Physiotherapist
Plastic Surgery
John Semple MD, MSc, FRCS(C), FACS
Dr. John Semple is Head, Division of Plastic Surgery at Women’s College Hospital and Professor in the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Areas of specialty and interest include Breast Surgery, Breast reconstruction, Tissue engineering, Lymphedema, Mobile health technology and high-altitude meteorology and global waning in the Himalaya.
Mitchell Brown MD, MEd, FRCS(C)
Dr. Mitchell Brown is a Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto. Founder and co-course director of the Toronto Annual Breast Surgery Symposium and Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA)Day. Dr. Brown specializes in aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery, body contouring and facial aesthetic surgery.
Dr. Kathleen Armstrong
Dr. Kathleen Armstrong is an award winning teacher and expert in gender affirming top surgeries. She completed fellowship training with Dr. Hugh McLean at the McLean Clinic and performs over 250 top surgeries per year. She has extensive experience as an educator having participated in medical student and resident education for the last 10 years in various roles. In her role within the Division of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery at the University of Toronto, she trains medical students, residents and fellows in top surgery providing core lectures, office based and technical experience. She has a MSc in Health Services Research specializing in Health Economics. Her presentations have garnered various awards and she has published in multiple prestigious journals including CMAJ, JAMA and JAMA Surgery. As an Early Career Researcher at Women’s College Research Institute, she aligns her surgical and research interests to focus on gender affirming surgeries.
Urologic surgery
Ethan Grober MD, MEd, FRCS(C)
Dr. Ethan Grober is the Division Head Urology and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, Department of Surgery. Dr. Grober’s clinical activities focus on vasectomy reversal microsurgery, male reproductive and sexual medicine and testosterone deficiency. His research interests include the assessment of technical competence and operative judgement, the integration and evaluation of new technologies in surgery and the validation of surgical simulation and laboratory-based surgical skills training.
Yonah Krakowsky, MD FRCS(C)
Dr. Yonah Krakowsky is the Division Head of Trans Surgery and a Surgeon-Educator at the University of Toronto. His clinical and research interests are in peyronies disease, erectile dysfunction, female sexual medicine and increasing access for Trans Surgery in Canada.
Gynecology
Lisa Allen, MD, FRCS(C)
Women’s College Hospital
76 Grenville Street
Floor 5
Toronto, ON M5S 1B2
Phone: 416-323-6148
Email: transitionrelatedsurgery@wchospital.ca
OHIP funded Transition Related Surgery (TRS) is applied for by qualified health care professionals. This includes providers who are trained in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of gender dysphoria in accordance with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care. This may include a Physician or Nurse Practitioner (NP) as well as a Registered Nurse, Psychologist or Registered Social Worker with a Master’s degree. If you are one of the aforementioned professionals interested in becoming a qualified provider, please see our Community Resource page for more information.
To make a referral please submit
- Transition Related Surgery Referral Form
- Prior Approval Funding Confirmation Letter - Prior Approval for Funding of Sex-Reassignment Surgery Form (.pdf). (unless previously discussed with TRS Program NP)
- Comprehensive referral template (.docx) or brief referral with TRS planning visit notes
Before making your referral ensure
The patient meets OHIP eligibility for surgery (unless contraindicated)
You have provided the patient with comprehensive TRS planning visit(s)
Once you receive the OHIP approval form, have completed the referral and have attached a completed cover page, please fax the referral to: 416 323-6310. If you have any questions about the referral or referral process please call: 416 323-6400 x 4339 or x5333.
Once the referral is received, it will be assessed by someone from the TRS team. If incomplete, it will be returned by fax requesting the missing information.
If the referral is complete, it will then be sent to the appropriate surgeon’s secretary and they will be in contact once they have an appointment available.
For OHIP Funding
The TRS Frequently Asked Questions (.pdf) is a guide to the assessment and referral process for Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Approval for OHIP funding. The resource is intended for persons considering transition-related surgery in Ontario, and the people supporting them.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s website outlines the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) funding criteria for transition- related surgeries. There is a specific form, the Request for Prior Approval for Funding of Sex-Reassignment Surgery Form (.pdf), you must complete in the current referral system to gain access to OHIP coverage. This form can be found here.
The form is completed and faxed to the MOHLTC at (613)536-3188 once
- The patient is confirmed to meet the criteria for surgery
- TRS planning visits have been completed and the patient wishes to move forward with surgery
- A surgeon has been chosen (see Our Team)
Once the form is faxed to the MOHLTC, they will fax back a letter with the decision (typically within 1-4 weeks). This Prior Approval Funding Confirmation Letter will be sent to the patient and the referring provider. The form will not be sent to the surgical team as of November 1st, 2019.
Criteria for Surgery
Criteria for surgery must be met prior to referral to a surgeon/program. The criteria for surgery are outlined in the box below. Please ensure your client has met these criteria, unless contraindicated, and please make comments on your referral letter. Criteria for all surgeries, including what is listed in the table, must include persistent and well documented gender dysphoria, capacity to make a fully informed decision and consent to treatment.
The TRS Frequently Asked Questions (.pdf) is a guide to the assessment and referral process for Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Approval for OHIP funding. The resource is intended for persons considering transition-related surgery in Ontario, and the people supporting them.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s website outlines the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) funding criteria for transition- related surgeries. There is a specific form, the Request for Prior Approval for Funding of Sex-Reassignment Surgery Form (.pdf), you must complete in the current referral system to gain access to OHIP coverage. This form can be found here.
The form is completed and faxed to the MOHLTC at (613)536-3188 once
- The patient is confirmed to meet the criteria for surgery
- TRS planning visits have been completed and the patient wishes to move forward with surgery
- A surgeon has been chosen (see Our Team)
Once the form is faxed to the MOHLTC, they will fax back a letter with the decision (typically within 1-4 weeks). This Prior Approval Funding Confirmation Letter will be sent to the patient and the referring provider. The form will not be sent to the surgical team as of November 1st, 2019.
For upper body surgeries including mastectomy with chest contouring and augmentation mammoplasty, only one provider (physician or nurse practitioner) is required to complete surgery planning visit(s) and complete the Request for Prior Approval for Funding of Sex-Reassignment Surgery Form (.pdf).
For lower body surgeries, including but not limited to orchiectomy, hysterectomy, phalloplasty, metoidioplasty and vaginoplasty, two providers are required to complete separate surgery planning visits and complete the Request for Prior Approval for Funding of Sex-Reassignment Surgery Form (.pdf). One of the providers must be a physician or Nurse Practitioner and the other may be any of the listed qualified providers.
TRS planning visits are to be completed as you wish, however, to assist you we have created a list of key topics to discuss and include during these appointments. Documentation should confirm that these topics have been reviewed.
Discuss the patients current gender identity and process of transition
Confirm persistent Gender Dysphoria, the patients experience with transition so far, medical and social steps taken or considered
Include Eligibility as per the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (i.e. duration of hormones, gender role experience)
Goals for surgery
Why does the patient want surgery? How will surgery help the patient achieve their gender goals/reduce dysphoria?
Are their expectations for surgery realistic?
Aware of alternative non-surgical and surgical options
If relevant, discussion around fertility and options for preservation reviewed
Detailed surgery discussion/capacity for informed consent
Description of desired surgery, realistic outcomes, risks, side effects (irreversibility), alternate options. (A more detailed and focused discussion about surgical details will take place between the surgeon and client)
Readiness (medical and psychosocial)
How well controlled are medical and mental health conditions
Smoking, alcohol, substance use
Supports in place (including financial), and aftercare planning
Criteria for surgery must be met prior to referral to a surgeon/program. The criteria for surgery are outlined in the box below. Please ensure your client has met these criteria, unless contraindicated, and please make comments on your referral letter. Criteria for all surgeries, including what is listed in the table, must include persistent and well documented gender dysphoria, capacity to make a fully informed decision and consent to treatment.
| Surgery | 1st Letter (MD/NP) | 2nd Letter (NP/MD/ RN/MSW/ Psychologist) |
Hormones | Medical and Mental Health Coniditons | Gender Role Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mastectomy | x | Not a pre-requisite | “controlled” | ||
| Augmentation Mammoplasty | x | 12 continuous months with no breast development | “controlled” | ||
| Gonad: Hysterotomy or Orchiectomy | x | x | 12 continuous months | “well controlled” | |
| Vaginoplasty | x | x | 12 continuous months | “well controlled” | 12 continuous months of living in a gender role congruent with gender identity |
| Phalloplasty/Medtoidioplasty | x | x | 12 continuous months | “well controlled” | 12 continuous months of living in a gender role congruent with gender identity |
If you would like more information on how to become a provider qualified to make referrals for Trans Related Surgery please see the RHO website for trainings and information
For information on the referral process for surgery in Ontario see Rainbow Health Ontario’s Frequently Asked Questions.
For information about specific transition related surgeries, please see these surgical info summary sheets.
RHO provides a weekly mentorship call from Wednesday from 12-1. Providers are encouraged to call in to ask any trans related health care questions. Register at the bottom of the page on their website.
If you are looking for a primary or secondary provider to support trans pre-surgical planning visits you can make a referral to CAMH.
Visit the RHO Newsroom to be kept up-to-date as our program and website expands to include helpful resources and ensure access to care.
If you wish to access Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) funded TRS, please make an appointment with your physician or nurse practitioner. TRS planning visits can occur in a primary care setting, with a specialist or at the CAMH Gender Identity Clinic (or in combination depending on your needs and local resources). TRS planning visits will take place with your health care team. You may be asked to see one or two providers depending on the surgery you are requesting. In addition to a physician or nurse practitioner, this might include a social worker, a registered nurse or a psychologist
Your health care provider will arrange or provide the necessary surgery planning visits prior to referral for surgery. In these appointments the provider will ensure that you have met all the OHIP funded surgery criteria in addition to having an in depth conversation with you about your goals, different surgical and non-surgical options, risks and benefits of surgery and other relevant medical and mental health issues.
Once you have completed your TRS planning visit(s), your health care providers will complete a special medical form seeking OHIP funding for transition- related surgeries. Once this is approved, a referral will be made to your chosen surgeon. If the referral is complete and accepted, you will receive a call to set up an initial appointment with the surgeon. The TRS Frequently Asked Questions (.pdf) is a guide to the assessment and referral process for Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Approval for OHIP funding. The resource is intended for persons considering transition-related surgery in Ontario, and the people supporting them.
The first appointment is a surgical consultation. At this visit you will meet with your surgeon and possibly the Nurse Practitioner or Social Worker. During this visit, we will take a comprehensive history, there will be a detailed discussion about surgery, a physical exam will take place, photos may or may not be taken and consent to communicate with your primary care team will be sought. A pre-op medical questionnaire will be completed.
After this consult visit, if surgery is the next step, the surgeons secretary will follow up with you in order to book surgery. Once surgery is booked, you will get another appointment for pre-admission clinic. This visit typically occurs in the week or two before surgery.
At the pre-admission visit you will be given more details about your surgery, pre-operative instructions, review an after-care plan and you may be given information to take home. You may also meet with anesthesia and possibly pharmacy or internal medicine at this visit.
You are expected to have someone to pick you up from surgery and stay with you for 24 hours afterwards. If you do not have such a person, we will discuss options available to you including the ARC program at SHC.