The Team

The people behind Meridian Care Group.

Meridian Care Group is a BC-based medical travel facilitation service helping clients across Canada access affordable, internationally accredited surgery abroad. Meet the team.

Who We Are

Built on a simple idea: Canadians deserve better.

Our Vision

A Canada where no one waits in pain for surgery they could have safely, affordably, and with full professional support in weeks. We exist to make that real, one patient at a time.

Our Values

Transparency in every cost and every risk. Safety first — JCI-accredited hospitals only. Honesty when medical travel is not the right answer. And personal accountability: our name is on every engagement.

Our Commitment

Every patient travels with proper medical and evacuation insurance. Every hospital is vetted in person. Every case is handled by a real person, not a call centre. And every patient returns home with complete documentation for their local care team.

Our Engagement

We meet BC clients in person whenever possible and work with clients across Canada by phone and video with the same standard. We are available before, during, and after the journey — not just at the booking stage.

Our Team

The people behind Meridian.

Founding Director

Patrick Fillion

GHA Advanced CMTP Certified · Better by MTA Facilitator Pro Member · Victoria, BC · English & French

I hold a degree in Transportation Logistics and Business — the academic foundation for how I think about getting people, paperwork, and timing to line up under pressure. Early in my career, I worked in financial technology sales, where my job was earning the trust of skeptical decision-makers and guiding them through high-stakes choices. I then spent years at CN Rail in rules and regulations, working inside a heavily regulated, safety-critical environment where compliance, documentation, and clear process aren't optional — they're the difference between things going right and things going wrong.

When I looked at what was happening to seniors on Vancouver Island — people waiting 18 months for a hip replacement, in pain, losing mobility, losing independence — I saw a problem I could actually solve. The medical travel infrastructure exists globally. The need exists right here, and across the country. Nobody was connecting the two in a truly personal, accountable way.

That's why I founded Meridian Care Group. Not as a travel agency, not as a booking platform — but as a personally accountable facilitation service rooted in Victoria and open to clients anywhere in Canada who need a trusted hand on this journey.

I hold the GHA Advanced Certified Medical Travel Professional (CMTP) designation — the industry's most recognized individual credential — and hold a Better by MTA Facilitator Pro membership with the Medical Tourism Association, including attendance at their annual Global Medical Tourism & Insurance Summit to maintain direct relationships with hospital executives and partners on behalf of the clients I serve.

patrick@meridiancaregroup.com · Connect on LinkedIn →

Consultant & Patient Experience Manager

Cheryl Li

CPHR · Tourism Management · Vancouver, BC · English & Cantonese

As a CPHR-designated Human Resources professional, Cheryl thrives at the intersection of people, service, and organizational well-being. Holding a degree in Tourism Management, she built her career foundation on a lifelong passion for travel, hospitality, and exceptional service.

Guided by a genuine desire to make a meaningful, positive impact on the lives of others, Cheryl transitioned her background into the medical industry. Today, she is proud to work with an organization that aligns with her core values — leveraging her unique expertise to support, develop, and advocate for teams and clients in a deeply rewarding sector.

cheryl@meridiancaregroup.com · Connect on LinkedIn →

Why We Exist

A real problem with a real solution.

British Columbia has some of the longest surgical wait times in Canada. The median wait is 25.8 weeks — and for many procedures, it's significantly longer. For an active 70-year-old waiting for a knee replacement, those months mean lost mobility, growing pain, and diminishing quality of life.

The solution exists. Internationally accredited hospitals in Mexico, Turkey, and other destinations perform tens of thousands of successful procedures on Canadian and international patients every year — at a fraction of the cost of comparable private surgery in North America.

What has been missing is a trusted, accountable facilitator who guides Canadians through the process safely — based in Victoria, meeting Vancouver Island clients face to face, and supporting clients across the rest of Canada by phone and video with the same standard of care. That is what Meridian Care Group is.

The regulated-industry foundation

A degree in Transportation Logistics & Business, plus years at CN Rail in rules and regulations — work inside a safety-critical, heavily regulated environment where compliance and documentation are everything. Medical travel runs on the same principles: every detail has to be right, every coordination point managed, nothing left to chance.

The trust-building experience

Fintech sales: earning trust from skeptical people on high-stakes decisions. Guiding someone through surgery abroad requires exactly the same approach — patience, honesty, rigorous follow-through, and genuine care for the outcome.

The professional credential

Holder of the GHA Advanced Certified Medical Travel Professional (CMTP) designation — the industry's most recognized individual credential, from the same body that accredits the world's top international hospitals. Combined with Better by MTA Facilitator Pro membership and Summit attendance for direct hospital access. Valid through May 2027.

Our Values

What guides everything we do.

Three principles that are non-negotiable in how Meridian Care Group operates — with every client, on every case.

Honesty Above All

If medical travel isn't right for your situation, we will tell you — and we will tell you at the very first meeting. We would rather lose a client than send someone into a situation that isn't appropriate for them. Every recommendation we make is one we would make for a family member.

Safety First, Always

JCI-accredited hospitals. Medical clearance before booking. Client agreements drafted with legal counsel. Professional liability insurance. Emergency protocols on every trip. We have built every possible safeguard into our process — because this is someone's health, not a holiday booking.

Local Accountability

We are based in Victoria. Our clients are our neighbours. That accountability is real — we cannot disappear behind a website when something goes wrong. We are personally answerable to this community for every client we serve, and we take that seriously.

Our Role

Facilitation and coordination. Nothing more, nothing less.

Meridian Care Group is a medical travel facilitation and coordination service. We help you navigate the process of accessing care abroad, from initial consultation and hospital matching through travel arrangements and post-return follow-up. We handle the logistics so you can focus on your health.

We do not provide medical advice, clinical assessments, diagnoses, or treatment recommendations. All medical decisions are made exclusively by the licensed physicians and medical teams at our partner hospitals. Before making any decision about medical travel, we encourage you to speak with your own physician. We will work with what they tell you.

This distinction is not a formality. It is the foundation of how we work. Our job is to find you the right hospital, arrange every detail of the journey, and support you through it. Not to practice medicine. You have a surgical team abroad and a physician at home. We are the professional who makes sure the two work together and that you arrive prepared, informed, and looked after at every step.

Read our full Terms of Service →

We'd love to meet you.

Whether you're exploring options for yourself, a family member, or a patient — start with a free in-person conversation in Victoria. No pressure, no obligation, no forms.

Get in Touch

Book a consultation