More than 790,000 Quebecers are waiting to see a medical specialist
More than 790,000 people are waiting for a medical specialist in Quebec, according to the Ministry of Health. The delay is almost 14 months, which is twice as long as before the pandemic.
The pandemic has a broad back, but explains a large part of the situation, says Élise Girouard-Chantal, a graduating resident in family medicine and a member of the board of directors of Médecins québécois pour le régime public.
However, she believes that a shortage of staff is also to blame.
We would probably have the ability to shorten waiting lists if we did not have, at the same time, a significant exodus of medical specialists to the private network.
A quote fromÉlise Girouard-Chantal, graduating resident in family medicineShe points out that many medical specialists are leaving for the private network in search of better working conditions.
When you work in the private sector, you don't do weekend or night care. We work from nine to five. The cases are a little less serious. The government needs to recognize that this has a significant impact on accessibility and address this problem," she said.
Number of Quebecers waiting to see a medical specialist
Number of pending requests, without an appointmentAverage Pending Request TimeMarch 2019213 234178.6 days
March 2024793 411425.7 daysSource: Quebec Ministry of Health
Preliminary government data suggests that the number of queries that have yet to be answered has increased since March 2024 and was around 830,000 in June.
The Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec believes that although this is an issue that deserves attention, it is an exaggeration to speak of a significant exodus of medical specialists. She points out that according to data from the Quebec health insurance system, as of June 17, 2.13% of specialists (242 doctors) were practicing outside the public system.
Deficiencies in computer systemsSerge Legault, vice-president of the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec, believes that the IT infrastructure is also to blame for the increase in delays.
Health: an ever-longer wait to see a specialist. BROADCAST ICI PREMIÈRE. Quite a morning.
Health: an ever-longer wait to see a specialistICI PREMIÈRE SHOWAll the morning
Listen to the audio (Health: an ever-longer wait to see a specialist. 9 minutes 18 seconds)
Duration of 9 minutes 18 seconds9:18In an interview on the program Tout un matin, he indicated that the Service Request Distribution Centre (CRDS), which is used to put patients in touch with doctors, is failing.
The health system is a system where patients are seen by doctors, are cared for by care teams. The computer system is supposed to help with that. Right now, the CRDS, we can say that it is harmful.
A quote fromSerge Legault, Vice-President of the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du QuébecThis deficiency in the system has repercussions for family doctors, according to Élise Girouard-Chantal.
The delays are so long that patients come back to the family doctors to make another request. Not only does it clog up the front line, but it sends the request back to the CRDS, which creates a duplicate.
Ever longer delays in seeing a specialist doctor. BROADCAST ICI PREMIÈRE. It's even better in the afternoon.
Ever longer waiting times to see a specialist doctorICI PREMIÈRE SHOWIt's even better in the afternoon
Listen to the audio (Ever longer delays to see a specialist doctor. 10 minutes 20 seconds)
Duration of 10 minutes 20 seconds10:20Serge Legault also believes that the explanation that doctors do not work hard enough is incomplete.
Doctors are available overtime on weekends and at the end of the working day to operate on patients, but the availability of technical platforms makes this impossible.
He calls for innovative methods so that doctors can see their clients.
A distressing situation for patientsDominique D'Anjou is one of the hundreds of thousands of Quebecers who are waiting to see a medical specialist.
She was referred by her family doctor to a neurologist and a pulmonologist. A year later, she is still waiting for her appointment.
Of course it's a stress because you don't know what you have. You wonder if it's going to get worse. We shouldn't think about it too much. It's a bit worrying," she explains.
Open in full-screen modeDominique D'Anjou has been waiting to see a neurologist and a pulmonologist for more than a year.
Since her case is not considered urgent, she believes that the delays could be longer.
I know it's at least three years of waiting," she says.
In the meantime, Ms. D'Anjou is receiving chiropractic treatment in the private sector to alleviate her symptoms.
The pandemic has a broad back, but explains a large part of the situation, says Élise Girouard-Chantal, a graduating resident in family medicine and a member of the board of directors of Médecins québécois pour le régime public.
However, she believes that a shortage of staff is also to blame.
We would probably have the ability to shorten waiting lists if we did not have, at the same time, a significant exodus of medical specialists to the private network.
A quote fromÉlise Girouard-Chantal, graduating resident in family medicineShe points out that many medical specialists are leaving for the private network in search of better working conditions.
When you work in the private sector, you don't do weekend or night care. We work from nine to five. The cases are a little less serious. The government needs to recognize that this has a significant impact on accessibility and address this problem," she said.
Number of Quebecers waiting to see a medical specialist
Number of pending requests, without an appointmentAverage Pending Request TimeMarch 2019213 234178.6 days
March 2024793 411425.7 daysSource: Quebec Ministry of Health
Preliminary government data suggests that the number of queries that have yet to be answered has increased since March 2024 and was around 830,000 in June.
The Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec believes that although this is an issue that deserves attention, it is an exaggeration to speak of a significant exodus of medical specialists. She points out that according to data from the Quebec health insurance system, as of June 17, 2.13% of specialists (242 doctors) were practicing outside the public system.
Deficiencies in computer systemsSerge Legault, vice-president of the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec, believes that the IT infrastructure is also to blame for the increase in delays.
Health: an ever-longer wait to see a specialist. BROADCAST ICI PREMIÈRE. Quite a morning.
Health: an ever-longer wait to see a specialistICI PREMIÈRE SHOWAll the morning
Listen to the audio (Health: an ever-longer wait to see a specialist. 9 minutes 18 seconds)
Duration of 9 minutes 18 seconds9:18In an interview on the program Tout un matin, he indicated that the Service Request Distribution Centre (CRDS), which is used to put patients in touch with doctors, is failing.
The health system is a system where patients are seen by doctors, are cared for by care teams. The computer system is supposed to help with that. Right now, the CRDS, we can say that it is harmful.
A quote fromSerge Legault, Vice-President of the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du QuébecThis deficiency in the system has repercussions for family doctors, according to Élise Girouard-Chantal.
The delays are so long that patients come back to the family doctors to make another request. Not only does it clog up the front line, but it sends the request back to the CRDS, which creates a duplicate.
Ever longer delays in seeing a specialist doctor. BROADCAST ICI PREMIÈRE. It's even better in the afternoon.
Ever longer waiting times to see a specialist doctorICI PREMIÈRE SHOWIt's even better in the afternoon
Listen to the audio (Ever longer delays to see a specialist doctor. 10 minutes 20 seconds)
Duration of 10 minutes 20 seconds10:20Serge Legault also believes that the explanation that doctors do not work hard enough is incomplete.
Doctors are available overtime on weekends and at the end of the working day to operate on patients, but the availability of technical platforms makes this impossible.
He calls for innovative methods so that doctors can see their clients.
A distressing situation for patientsDominique D'Anjou is one of the hundreds of thousands of Quebecers who are waiting to see a medical specialist.
She was referred by her family doctor to a neurologist and a pulmonologist. A year later, she is still waiting for her appointment.
Of course it's a stress because you don't know what you have. You wonder if it's going to get worse. We shouldn't think about it too much. It's a bit worrying," she explains.
Open in full-screen modeDominique D'Anjou has been waiting to see a neurologist and a pulmonologist for more than a year.
Since her case is not considered urgent, she believes that the delays could be longer.
I know it's at least three years of waiting," she says.
In the meantime, Ms. D'Anjou is receiving chiropractic treatment in the private sector to alleviate her symptoms.
