2024-11-04 05:00:00
Concerned about the fact that access to care is “increasingly compromised” in the province, the College of Physicians of Quebec (CMQ) is positioning itself on the subject of the private health sector. Among other things, he demands the “immediate” suspension of its expansion.
The mission of this professional order is to protect the public by ensuring quality medicine, recalls its president, Dr. Mauril Gaudreault, in an interview with Le Devoir. “Quality medicine is also accessible medicine. There are studies which show that private funding will not improve access to care. So, if it doesn’t improve access, for us, it doesn’t improve the quality of medicine,” he says.
The College therefore publishes on Monday its main guiding principles concerning the place of the private sector in health. A necessary gesture, underlines Dr Gaudreault, in a context where we observe significant waiting lists for surgery.
The Quebec health system is not in danger at the moment, he specifies. “But he shouldn’t become one. It is therefore an alarm bell that we are sounding. I think we all agree that we need to work for a stronger public network. But we must be concerned about the expansion of the private sector currently. »
During his tour over the past two years in around twenty health centers and medical faculties in the province, Dr. Gaudreault says he has heard a lot about caregivers who leave the public system. “There are more and more doctors now who are only in the private sector. »
This exodus is “unjustifiable and unacceptable”, he continues. This demonstrates a certain erosion of the social contract which should in principle link the medical community to society, he adds.
Regulate and supervise the private sector
In order to ensure quality medicine for Quebecers, Dr. Gaudreault believes that it is necessary to “rigorously supervise and regulate” existing private health care services.
“We don’t want to completely erase the private sector. He can be good, provided he is really there to serve the public,” specifies the president of the CMQ.
The College is therefore in favor of private clinics continuing to offer care to patients, such as surgical operations, for example, provided that these services are fully financed by the public and that citizens therefore do not have to pay out of pocket. extra money for treatment.
In terms of guidelines, the CMQ requests that remuneration for the same medical procedure be similar in the public and private sectors. This could help retain doctors in the network, he believes.
The president of the professional order says he is particularly concerned about the fact that young doctors choose directly the private sector as soon as they obtain their practice license. “How could we prevent this? This is a question we ask ourselves. »
“It must be said that it is quite easy for a doctor to move from the public to the private system. I think this needs to be better marked out and organized,” he adds.
On Sunday, Quebec also announced that it would shortly table a bill to require newly graduated doctors to complete their first years of practice in the public network. The legislative text would target both family doctors and specialist doctors trained in the province.
Dr. Gaudreault also adds that cases where patients undergoing private surgery have complications must be supervised. During his tour, he was told that these people often had to be treated in public when postoperative complications occurred in the evenings or on weekends.
“The question is how we can better organize everything so that the doctor who works in the private sector continues to monitor his patient during complications to prevent him from having to go to the emergency room for treatment. . »
By stating these guiding principles, the College of Physicians of Quebec is hopeful of succeeding in making things happen. “For around four years, the College has become a much more important social player than before. He speaks out on major societal issues related to health. It is also an organization that has developed greater power of influence, and the idea is to use it to help improve the situation together,” concludes Dr. Gaudreault.
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**Interview with Dr. Mauril Gaudreault, President of the College of Physicians of Quebec**
**Interviewer:** Dr. Gaudreault, thank you for joining us today. Your recent statements about the expansion of private health care in Quebec have sparked significant discussion. Can you elaborate on why you believe this expansion could be problematic?
**Dr. Gaudreault:** Thank you for having me. Our primary concern is that access to care is increasingly compromised. The evidence suggests that private funding does not necessarily lead to improved access to care, and ultimately, if access is not enhanced, we cannot regard the quality of medicine as improved. We need to focus on creating a stronger public network.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned the alarming trend of doctors leaving the public system for the private sector. What do you think is driving this exodus?
**Dr. Gaudreault:** Many factors contribute to this situation. The allure of higher compensation in the private sector is a significant draw for many physicians, particularly young graduates. There’s an erosion of the social contract between the medical community and society, which should underpin our public healthcare system. It’s concerning to see more doctors opting for private practices soon after graduation.
**Interviewer:** The College of Physicians of Quebec has suggested that private clinics should continue to offer services, but with certain conditions. Could you explain those recommendations?
**Dr. Gaudreault:** Certainly. We believe that while private clinics can be beneficial, they must be rigorously supervised and regulated. Importantly, we advocate for all procedures in these clinics to be fully funded by the public system, so patients aren’t faced with out-of-pocket costs. Additionally, we propose that payment for the same medical procedures should be comparable between public and private sectors, which could help retain physicians in the public network.
**Interviewer:** You also mentioned a new legislative initiative that would require newly graduated doctors to work in the public system initially. How do you envision that impacting the healthcare landscape in Quebec?
**Dr. Gaudreault:** This initiative aims to ensure that new doctors are integrated into the public system from the beginning of their careers, which can help address staffing shortages and alleviate pressure on the public system. By committing to public service early on, we hope to instill a sense of responsibility towards the public healthcare system and potentially reduce the allure of transitioning to the private sector immediately.
**Interviewer:** Lastly, how do you see the future of healthcare in Quebec amidst these challenges?
**Dr. Gaudreault:** The future of healthcare in Quebec requires a concerted effort to strengthen our public system. We must find ways to retain our healthcare professionals, ensure equitable access to care, and maintain high standards of quality across the board. A balanced approach that allows for a regulated private sector while prioritizing public health is essential for fostering a healthcare system that serves all Quebecers effectively.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Gaudreault, for sharing your insights. Addressing these challenges will be crucial for the future of healthcare in Quebec.
