(Quebec) Christian Dubé promises a gateway to the 1.4 million Quebecers who still do not have access to a family doctor or a family medicine group (GMF) by the summer of 2026. A wish which does not take reality into account, retort general practitioners.
Published at 4:37 p.m. Updated at 5:31 p.m.
What you need to know
- Christian Dubé presented on Thursday the results of his Health Plan, presented in March 2022. He admits that he is not yet where he would like to be, but is delighted with the reduction in the use of independent labor and the “extra time OBLIGATORY “.
- The Minister of Health is making a new commitment, that all Quebecers will be cared for by a professional (doctor or IPS) by the summer of 2026.
- The success of its commitment is based on its already arduous negotiation with the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ).
History repeats itself: Quebec will miss the next target of its surgical catch-up plan, “a file” which will become the priority of Santé Québec, indicated the Minister of Health. Christian Dubé took stock of his Health Plan, submitted in March 2022, on Thursday, recognizing that it is far from the mark in terms of access to the first line.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Quebec Minister of Health, Christian Dubé
The minister has made a new commitment. Measures such as the creation of the First Line Access Center (GAP) and the addition of specialized nurse practitioner (IPS) clinics will allow it to “move to another stage,” he said.
He is committed to ensuring that “all Quebecers have access to a health professional who knows them and can follow them over time” by the summer of 2026, just before the elections.
Essentially, Quebec is targeting Quebecers who are currently waiting to be registered with a GMF and those who are completely orphans, in other words those who are not on any list. The government estimates that this group represents approximately 1.4 million people. In his new formula, Christian Dubé promises that they will be registered with a “care environment” in their region – a GMF or a CLSC.
Each patient will then be cared for by a “reference doctor” or an IPS. They will be able to consult other health professionals depending on their state of health, it is indicated. “This approach will lead us to the first line that we want to have in the coming years,” said the minister.
Ultimately, the GAP – which depends on a temporary agreement with the general practitioners’ union – will migrate to the new model. Quebec ensures that patients registered with a GMF will remain so and that Quebecers who have a family doctor will keep it.
The details remain to be clarified, indicated Mr. Dubé.
Furthermore, registering with a GMF or a family doctor does not guarantee getting an appointment quickly. Christian Dubé himself has recognized, in the past, the pitfalls of GAP. However, he believes that the situation has improved. “The waiting time […] to get an appointment went from more than 100 hours to 36 hours,” he maintained.
Uncertain success
The success of the minister’s commitment is based on his already difficult negotiation with the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ), he admits. “We need the doctors and the FMOQ union, as part of the ongoing negotiations, to be there as they were when we implemented the GAP,” he said. he said.
The union did not show much enthusiasm on Thursday. “A realistic and coherent vision must be based on reality, and this reality is that currently, the majority of medical students prefer other specialties and that more than 2,500 family doctors are over 60 years old. . If nothing is done, the shortage will worsen,” wrote the FMOQ in a statement.
In other words, the union does not see, for the moment, how its members could offer more availability to care for more patients in the context of the shortage.
This new commitment comes as the government plans to use the notwithstanding clause to force new doctors to begin their practice in the public. Thursday, Mr. Dubé confirmed the information published by The Press in September according to which performance indicators such as access objectives be “integrated” into the next framework agreement.
Missed target in surgery
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
As of October 19, 10,707 Quebecers had been waiting for an operation for more than a year.
Christian Dubé concedes that he will not reach the target of reducing the number of surgeries waiting for more than a year to 2,500 by December 31. As of October 19, 10,707 Quebecers were on this list. Quebec had already missed its interim target, as of March 31. “This is probably the issue that bothers me the most,” said the minister, recalling that the figures were around 22,000 in 2022.
“We are dropping around 250 per month. It’s not fast enough,” said Mr. Dubé. He is counting on the new agreement with the FIQ to extend the activities of the operating rooms.
Mr. Dubé added that he did not have a deadline for reaching his target for the moment and that this will become Santé Québec’s priority. “The most important file they have at the moment is catch-up surgery,” he added.
Earlier Thursday, François Legault told the Salon rouge that it would take “years” to catch up on the backlog in surgery caused by the pandemic. As of October 19, 161,148 people were waiting for surgery.
Quebec’s Doctor Dilemma: The Queue for Care
Ah, Quebec, where the snow is cold but the healthcare wait times are even colder. Christian Dubé, our ambitious Minister of Health, has announced a transformation plan for the 1.4 million Quebecers still waiting for a family doctor (*cue the collective sigh of frustration*). He insists that by the summer of 2026, they’ll finally have access to a health professional. But let’s be honest—if we’re still waiting for a miracle by then, it might just come in the form of an apparition of a doctor!
Promises, Promises…
While Dubé is dolling out promises like candy at Halloween, the reality is more akin to a day after the sugar rush—sticky, uncomfortable, and filled with regret. He admitted the government’s Health Plan has not yet hit the mark on access to primary care, but at least he’s delighted about the reduction in the use of independent labor. Really? Isn’t that just a fancy way of saying, “I’ve hired fewer doctors to do the same amount of work”? I mean, if I had a dollar for every doctor over 60—
The minister’s new commitment to create all these new centers and clinics sounds like the start of a healthcare utopia. But, with the current shortage of medical professionals and the near-endless negotiations with the Federation of General Practitioners, one can’t help but wonder if this is just a shiny new coat of paint on a rickety old building. Those 1.4 million people, aptly dubbed the “orphans,” are desperate for a lifeline, not another bureaucratic memo about future plans that seem as plausible as a unicorn sighting.
Reality Check
Dubé claims everyone will have access to a health professional who actually recognizes them and will follow their health over time. That sounds lovely! I can already hear the doctor say, “Oh yes, I remember you, the one who *actually* made an appointment!” And while we wait for that magical day, the minister is optimistic that the waiting times—currently reduced from 100 hours to a staggering 36—reflect significant progress. Progress? Sounds like a ridiculous game of ‘how low can you go’ with appointment waiting times!
The Doctor Is Out… of Time
But here’s the kicker: getting registered with a GMF or a family doctor doesn’t guarantee a timely appointment—uh-oh, plot twist! And the general practitioners’ union doesn’t seem too excited about the plan either. They’ve pointed out a slight reality check: medical students are flocking to specialties like children to candy stores, and there are over 2,500 family doctors who are positively ancient—think of them as the healthcare equivalent of the old family sedan that just won’t die. The longer this shortage of family doctors persists, the higher the chances of more people in the waiting room looking like grumpy cats.
Cuts Above the Rest
In an interesting turn, the government is considering forcing new doctors into public service. I can hear the collective groans of medical students all the way from Montreal. Add to that the looming performance indicators and penalties for doctors who might not hit their targets, and you’ve got a recipe for absolute serenity. Because nothing says “welcome to your new job” like a hefty fine!
The Surgical Backlog
Now, about those waiting lists for surgeries. You’d think we were living in a dystopian medical fiction novel. While Dubé sheds a tear over not reaching surgical targets, we learn that over 10,000 Quebecers are waiting a year or more for an operation. It’s like a survival game, except the prize for “Last Patient Standing” is simply getting their health restored.
Despite dropping the waitlist numbers, which he trumpets as victory cries, the problem is far from solved. And François Legault has grimly pointed out that catching up on surgical delays caused by the pandemic will take “years.” In a world that values instant results more than ever, it seems we’re all just casually slipping into medical purgatory and waiting for our turn at the pearly gates… of the operating room.
Conclusion: Hope in the Waiting Room
So there we have it—a bold vision from Christian Dubé, filled with hopes and dreams, but underpinned by a heavy dose of reality. Let’s hope that by the summer of 2026, Quebecers will be talking about their family doctors along with their beloved poutine, rather than pulling their hair out trying to get an appointment. Until then, stay safe, stay healthy, and maybe stock up on some Ibuprofen. Just in case!
Article commentary inspired by the latest updates in Quebec healthcare, a topic that remains ever so tumultuous. – The Observational Humor Crew
In Quebec, Health Minister Christian Dubé has set an ambitious goal to provide a gateway to healthcare for 1.4 million residents who currently lack access to a family doctor or a family medicine group (GMF) by the summer of 2026. However, this promise has been met with skepticism from general practitioners who argue that it may not align with existing realities.
Published at 4:37 p.m. Updated at 5:31 p.m.
What you need to know
- During a presentation on Thursday, Christian Dubé shared updates on his Health Plan originally launched in March 2022. While he acknowledged that progress has been slower than desired, he expressed satisfaction with the reduction in reliance on independent labor and the improvement in mandatory extra time.
- The Minister of Health reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that every Quebecer will have access to a healthcare professional, whether a doctor or an IPS (Infirmière Pratique Spécialisée), by the summer of 2026, as part of a wider initiative to enhance healthcare access.
- The success of this commitment heavily relies on ongoing and challenging negotiations with the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ), which represents general practitioners in the province.
Despite Minister Dubé’s optimism, history appears to be repeating itself as the province of Quebec is on track to miss another crucial deadline related to its surgical catch-up initiative. At a recent update on the Health Plan, Dubé acknowledged that the province is not where it needs to be in terms of first-line healthcare access.
In a decisive move, the minister has pledged new efforts to improve healthcare, including establishing the First Line Access Center (GAP) and expanding clinics with specialized nurse practitioners (IPS), which he believes will facilitate a significant advancement in healthcare accessibility.
He reiterated his commitment to ensuring that “all Quebecers have access to a health professional who knows them and can follow them over time” by summer 2026, strategically timed just before the elections.
The focus is particularly on Quebecers who are currently waiting to be registered with a GMF or who have no formal association with any medical facility at all, estimated at about 1.4 million individuals. Under Dubé’s new plan, he assures that these residents will be matched with a local “care environment,” which could be either a GMF or a CLSC (Centre Local de Services Communautaires).
Each patient will then be assigned to a “reference doctor” or an IPS, enabling them to consult various health professionals based on their individual needs. “This approach will lead us to the first line that we want to have in the coming years,” the minister expressed confidently.
Ultimately, the GAP will evolve into a new model based on a temporary agreement with the general practitioners’ union; Quebec assures that anyone registered with a GMF will maintain their status and that those with a family doctor will retain this connection.
However, many of the details need further clarification, as acknowledged by Dubé himself.
Moreover, being registered with a GMF or family doctor does not inherently guarantee swift access to consultations. Dubé has previously recognized the challenges associated with the GAP model but believes there have been some improvements, citing a reduction in appointment wait times from over 100 hours to approximately 36 hours.
Uncertain success
However, the success of Dubé’s ambitious plans hinges on the ongoing negotiations with the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ). “We need the doctors and the FMOQ union to collaborate, as they did when we rolled out the GAP,” he commented.
The reaction from the union was tepid, emphasizing that any realistic healthcare plan must take into account the current challenges, such as the preference of medical students for specialties outside of family medicine and the fact that over 2,500 family doctors are over the age of 60. If measures are not taken, the shortage of family doctors is expected to worsen.
Essentially, the union currently sees limitations on how its members could feasibly increase patient availability amidst growing shortages.
This latest commitment comes amidst government discussions on possibly enacting the notwithstanding clause to compel new physicians to begin their careers within the public healthcare system. On Thursday, Minister Dubé confirmed earlier reports indicating that performance metrics, including access goals, will be “integrated” into the forthcoming framework agreement.
Missed target in surgery
Christian Dubé has acknowledged a significant shortfall in reaching the target of reducing the number of individuals waiting over a year for surgical procedures to just 2,500 by year-end. Indeed, as of October 19, there were still 10,707 Quebecers on this waiting list, following the governor’s previous failure to meet intermediate targets.
“We are reducing numbers at a rate of around 250 monthly, but this pace remains insufficient,” Dubé lamented. He anticipates that a new agreement with the FIQ will allow for the expansion of operating room schedules.
Currently, Dubé has not set a definitive timeline for achieving his surgical targets, indicating instead that catching up on surgeries will become the primary focus of Santé Québec. “The most pressing issue they have right now is addressing the surgery backlog,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Premier François Legault commented that recovering from the surgical backlog exacerbated by the pandemic would take “years.” Currently, as of October 19, a staggering 161,148 people are still awaiting surgical procedures.
Culture of safety in healthcare
Tential measures to compel new graduates into public service roles, alongside increasing penalties for practitioners who fail to meet performance targets. The union’s cautious stance reflects a wariness of these strategies, which may exacerbate existing tensions between healthcare providers and government authorities.
The surgical backlog further complicates the landscape of Quebec’s healthcare. Dubé’s lament over unmet surgical targets highlights a grim reality where over 10,000 residents are stuck in limbo, awaiting procedures that could restore their health. The projection that it will take years to address these delays casts a long shadow over any claims of progress.
Healthcare professionals express concern that the current system’s constraints and staffing shortages may hinder meaningful reform. As Quebecers eagerly anticipate a tangible solution to their healthcare woes, many remain skeptical about Dubé’s ambitious timeline. The challenge lies in transforming optimistic plans into actionable strategies that genuinely improve healthcare access and outcomes.
while Christian Dubé’s aspirations for Quebec’s healthcare system signal a hopeful future, they must contend with significant structural and emotional hurdles. For the 1.4 million people currently in limbo, the bureaucratic promises often ring hollow; what they need is genuine support, timely care, and a system that prioritizes their health needs over political timelines. Only then can the waiting room become a place of hope rather than a hall of frustration.
