More than 388,000 additional Quebecers are now registered in a family medicine group (GMF), ahead of the schedule which should lead to 500,000 registrations by March 31. Next objective, Minister Christian Dubé promises to facilitate appointments.
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The agreement with the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ) concluded last May provided for a target of 375,000 people registered by December 31.
“It is important to tell Quebecers that not only are we setting targets, but we are reaching them and surpassing them,” rejoiced the Minister of Health in an interview with our Parliamentary Office.
“Good shots”
Mr. Dubé does not hide it, he is keen these days to highlight the “good moves” in the health network, in order to motivate the troops. In addition, the Minister is seeking to rebuild trust with family physicians after last year’s struggle to gain access to their time slots.
Now, Mr. Dubé intends to table a new version of his Bill 19, which died on the order paper, in order to be able to measure the follow-up of patients carried out by FMGs. “Right now, we have to rely on the goodwill of our doctors,” admits the minister.
In a written statement, the president of the FMOQ, Dr.r Marc-André Amyot, said its members wanted to be “agents of change” in order to improve access to the front line. However, he deplores a shortage of approximately 1,000 general practitioners.
Simplify access
With the FMGs, the Frontline Access Counter (GAP), the 811 line and the IPS clinics, the gateways to the health network have multiplied in recent months.
Minister Dubé intends to simplify everything by first promoting the 811 telephone line, both to reach Info-Santé and to obtain an appointment via the GAP.
After the holidays, Quebec will create an online appointment system, based on the Clic Santé model for vaccination. “This is where we see the importance of being able to be connected with FMGs,” said the minister.