Free · Doctor-designed · Confidential

You're being told you need a new hip or knee.Before you decide — get clarity.

The Joint Decision Score™ is a free, 3-minute assessment created by an orthopedic surgeon to help you understand whether surgery is genuinely your best next step — and whether a safer, more affordable option abroad could be right for you.

For patients from: 🇺🇸 US 🇬🇧 UK 🇨🇦 Canada 🇦🇺 Australia + more

Take the Free Assessment

Takes 3 minutes · No payment · No obligation · Your answers stay private

Your possible result

Not yet surgical

Conservative care may still be enough

Worth a closer look

Specialist evaluation recommended

Likely surgical candidate

Surgery may be the right step

Sound familiar?

You're stuck between pain and a difficult decision.

A doctor told you it might be time. But the path forward isn't simple. The cost feels impossible. The waiting list stretches into next year. And the more you research, the more uncertain everything becomes.

What's standing in your way

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The price tag is overwhelming. $40,000–$60,000 in the US. Even private surgery in the UK starts around £12,000.

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The wait is brutal. NHS and public-system waits commonly run 12–18 months. Sometimes longer.

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Going abroad sounds risky. You've heard it can be cheaper overseas — but how do you know who to trust?

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You're not even sure you need it yet. Maybe there's still something you haven't tried.

The questions you keep asking yourself

"Can I still avoid surgery?"

"Am I waiting too long?"

"How do I know if it's already time?"

"Could I get this done safely abroad?"

You don't need a sales pitch. You need a clear, honest answer.

The assessment

Introducing the Joint Decision Score™

A free, doctor-designed assessment built around the same questions a specialist would ask in a consultation. In 3 minutes, you'll know where you stand and what your next step should be.

Not yet surgical

Your symptoms suggest conservative options may still be effective

You'll receive a guide to non-surgical management strategies and what to monitor going forward.

Worth a closer look

You're approaching the stage where surgery becomes a real consideration

We'll send you a comparison of surgical and non-surgical paths so you can have an informed conversation with a specialist.

Likely surgical candidate

Your responses indicate surgery is likely the right path

We'll share Dr. Tec's full international patient guide — including transparent costs, recovery timelines, and how the Philippines option compares to your home country.

This score is an educational guide. It is not a medical diagnosis and does not replace a consultation with a licensed physician.

A real alternative

Why patients choose surgery abroad

For decades, patients facing impossible costs or year-long waits have looked beyond their borders for care. Today, the Philippines has emerged as one of the most trusted destinations for hip and knee replacement.

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Internationally trained surgeons, modern hospitals

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Pricing impossible to match in the US, UK, or Australia

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English-speaking team and concierge support throughout

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Direct Anterior Approach — modern, less-invasive technique

The Philippines isn't right for everyone. The Joint Decision Score™ helps determine whether your case is suitable for further review — before you spend a peso on flights or consultations.

By the numbers

60–80%

Lower cost than US & UK private surgery

2–4 wks

Typical wait from consultation to surgery

English

Spoken throughout your entire journey

DAA

Direct Anterior Approach for faster recovery

Your personalised result

What you'll discover in 3 minutes

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How advanced your condition is — mild, moderate, or significant

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Whether surgery is genuinely worth considering at your current stage

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Whether waiting longer is safe — or could make recovery harder

✈️

If you're a possible candidate for treatment abroad

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Your clearest, most practical next step — whatever the answer

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How to access a free consultation with Dr. Tec's team

Dr. Lou Mervyn Tec

MD DPBO FPOA
Orthopedic Surgeon · Quezon City

Board-certified, Philippine Board of Orthopedics

Fellow, Philippine Orthopedic Association

Hip & Knee Replacement and Revision Surgery Fellowship — Brisbane Private Hospital, Australia (2022–23)

Direct Anterior Approach (DAA) hip replacement specialist

Author of Do You Really Need Knee Replacement? (Amazon, 2026)

Published author

Do You Really Need Knee Replacement?

Available on Amazon · Free for Red-tier results

A surgeon's tool — designed to help you decide, not sell you surgery

This assessment was designed by Dr. Lou Mervyn Tec — a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with fellowship training in hip & knee replacement and revision surgery at Brisbane Private Hospital in Australia. He is also the published author of Do You Really Need Knee Replacement?, a patient guide written to help people make this exact decision.

"Some patients come to me too early — when surgery is not yet necessary. Others come too late — when their condition has already progressed to a point where recovery becomes more difficult. Both situations share the same root problem: a lack of clear, honest guidance. This is the problem I'm trying to solve."

— Dr. Lou Mervyn Tec, from the preface of his book

The Joint Decision Score™ is the assessment version of his full book — distilled into 11 questions that take 3 minutes to answer. Take the assessment, and we'll send your result alongside a free copy of the book if you qualify as a likely surgical candidate.

Free PDF for Red-tier results · Available on Amazon for everyone else

Learn more about Dr. Tec →

A real patient

Meet Giuseppe — six weeks after his hip replacement

Giuseppe travelled from the United States to the Philippines for hip replacement surgery with Dr. Tec. He sent this video unprompted at six weeks post-op. Shared with his permission.

Watch Giuseppe's full interview →

Giuseppe with Dr. Lou Mervyn Tec at Tec Orthopedics

Giuseppe with Dr. Tec at Providence Hospital, post-surgery

Before, during, and after

Giuseppe came to us with severe right hip arthritis. The joint space was gone. He walked with a cane and couldn't sleep through the night. His options at home in the United States weren't workable — the cost was beyond what he could comfortably manage, and waiting longer wasn't going to help his hip.

Pre-operative X-ray showing severe hip arthritis

Before · Severe arthritis, no joint space

Post-operative X-ray showing hip implant in place

After · Implant placed, alignment restored

Surgery was performed using the Direct Anterior Approach. By the end of his recovery week in Manila, Giuseppe was walking unassisted on level ground. He flew home with his family two weeks after surgery — still with a cane for support, but already standing taller.

Six weeks post-op, he sent the video on the left. We didn't ask for it. It arrived on a Saturday morning, with a short note: "I wanted you to see this."

10 days

Total time in the Philippines

6 weeks

From surgery to walking comfortably

USD $16K

All-in cost (vs. ~$50K in the US)

If Giuseppe's situation sounds familiar, the Joint Decision Score™ can help you understand where you stand.

Take the Free Assessment →

A patient's guide to informed decisions

Do You Really Need Knee Replacement?

Written by Dr. Tec for patients living with chronic knee pain who are uncertain about surgery. The book — and this assessment — exist to help you answer the same three questions:

The questions every patient asks

"Can I still avoid surgery?"
"Am I waiting too long?"
"How do I know if it's already time?"

What the book covers

Why knee pain happens

When non-surgical treatment still works

When waiting too long can hurt outcomes

How to know if you\'re ready for surgery

What to expect before and after surgery

How to choose the right surgeon

Free PDF copy for Red-tier assessment results

Free assessment

Get your Joint Decision Score™

Answer 11 short questions. We'll show you your personalised result on the next screen.

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You're nearly there

Where should we send your personalised Joint Decision Score™ and next-step guide?

First name

Email address

Country

Age

Which joint is affected?

Hip Knee Both

🔒 Your information is used only to send your result. Unsubscribe anytime.

Calculating your personalised result...

Recommended next steps

Book a Free Consultation with Dr. Tec →

This assessment does not replace a full medical consultation, physical examination, or review of imaging.

What we're not

This is not a sales pitch for surgery

We don't profit from telling you what you want to hear. Depending on your situation, your assessment may recommend any of the following — and that's the point.

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Continue conservative care if it's still working

🖥️

Get fresh imaging before any decision

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See a local specialist for hands-on evaluation

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Plan for surgery when the timing is right

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Explore options abroad only if it suits your case

The right answer for you depends on your symptoms, imaging, overall health, goals, and risk factors. This assessment helps you start asking the right questions.

Common questions

Things people ask before they take the assessment

Is this assessment really free?+

Yes. There's no cost, no credit card, and no obligation. The Joint Decision Score™ exists because Dr. Tec believes patients deserve clarity before they're sold anything — including surgery.

Will I be pressured to book surgery in the Philippines?+

No. Your result will tell you what it tells you. If your assessment suggests you're not yet a surgical candidate, we'll say so. If it suggests you are, you'll receive information about your options — but the decision, including whether to consider treatment abroad at all, is entirely yours.

How is the Philippines different from other medical tourism destinations?+

Three things stand out: English is widely spoken at every level of care, hospitals like Providence Hospital meet international standards, and surgeons like Dr. Tec are fellowship-trained at top centres in Australia. This is the same training pipeline as surgeons in Sydney or Brisbane — just at a fraction of the cost.

What's actually included in the price of surgery in the Philippines?+

Dr. Tec's hip replacement package includes pre-op clearance, 10 days of hospitalisation, the implant itself, surgical and anesthesia fees, pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation, private nursing, and airport-hotel-hospital transportation. The all-in cost is approximately USD 16,000–18,000 — compared to USD 40,000–60,000 in the United States.

How long would I need to stay in the Philippines?+

Most patients stay 10–14 days total. This includes pre-op evaluation, surgery, hospital recovery, and initial physical therapy. After that, you continue rehabilitation at home with telemedicine support from Dr. Tec's team.

Is the Philippines safe for medical travel?+

For elective medical travel, yes — particularly Metro Manila, where Tec Orthopedics is based at Providence Hospital. Patients fly in, recover at partnered recovery-friendly hotels nearby, and are supported throughout by an English-speaking concierge team.

What if my situation changes after I take the assessment?+

You can retake the assessment any time. We'll keep you informed via email about treatment options, recovery insights, and patient stories — and you can unsubscribe at any moment.