Eighty-hour work weeks are common among general practitioners, but the health crisis on the Côte-Nord is pushing them to work much more. Constantly asked to work extra shifts, these professionals are seeing their weeks lengthen and fatigue set in.
In an interview at the microphone ofInfo-alarm mardi, The president of the Association of General Practitioners of the Côte-Nord, Dr. Guillaume Lord, says that the impacts of the crisis are being felt by staff, who are used to being under constant pressure.
According to the doctor, his colleagues are used to working under pressure and difficult working hours, but the current situation is unusual. They are constantly asked to work extra shifts and feel guilty for saying no, but at the same time, it is difficult to do more, he reports.
Even though he assures that these extra hours do not affect the quality of care provided, by doing it repeatedly, fatigue sets in.
Service disruptions partially avoided
General practitioners continue to work hard to prevent overdrafts in healthcare facilities, and yet, it is not yet a done deal by the end of the summer, adds Dr. Guillaume Lord.
While the partial closure of the Baie-Comeau emergency room was narrowly avoided, the lack of healthcare personnel is causing closures in the Forestville facility and reductions in services in several locations.
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Le Royer Hospital in Baie-Comeau was able to avoid the partial closure of its emergency department. (Archive photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada / Benoit Jobin
According to the most recent data from the CISSS de la Côte-Nord, the Forestville multiservice centre is closed until August 25 between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m., surgical activities are reduced in the operating rooms of the Sept-Îles and Baie-Comeau hospitals, and at the Sept-Îles Mother-Child Centre, half of the beds are closed for young pediatric patients.
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The population of Minganie is invited to call before going to a CLSC, where the number of workers can vary. (Archive photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada / Marc-Antoine Mageau
At the expense of office consultations
To avoid service disruptions, general practitioners sometimes have to sacrifice their patients’ consultations at their offices. To take on extra shifts in the emergency room, office days are cancelled, which prevents them from taking on new patients, adds Dr. Guillaume Lord.
Citizens and politicians alike are increasingly making doctors feel their discontent, which adds to the burden on health workers, who are doing the most they can, but it doesn’t seem enough in the eyes of many.
According to the president of the Association of General Practitioners of the Côte-Nord, there is a shortage of 1,500 doctors to meet the needs of Quebecers.
He therefore hopes that the collective attitude will be kinder towards his colleagues, because the profession must become more attractive to future professionals.
