The Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) hones its arguments to convince voters of the need for greater openness to the private sector in health. But to work, his “liberalization” plan will require the hiring of more doctors.
The PCQ wants to recruit between 2,000 and 3,000 more doctors “over the next few years”. Therefore, we would not have to fear that the development of private medicine would strip the public network of its resources, argued Dr. Karim Elayoubi, spokesperson for the health party, during a party symposium, Saturday after -noon.
“It is clear that from the moment we increase the absolute numbers, there will be room for both,” said the doctor in his presentation.
The event took place in a hall of the Center de Glaces in Quebec. About fifty people – almost all without masks – took part and nearly 200 others virtually, according to the organizers.
To increase the number of doctors, the PCQ recommends that the government lift admission quotas in medical schools and recruit more foreign doctors.
Dr. Karim Elayoubi, who is himself a general practitioner in an emergency, also endorses the claim of the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ) to the effect that there is currently a shortage of 1,000 family doctors in Quebec.
His plan, however, does not include touching on physician compensation or fee-for-service. And this despite the fact that, in the Swedish and British models to which his party refers, doctors are paid on a salary basis.
It is “illusory” to think that a change in the mode of remuneration will improve the whole structure”, declared Mr. Elayoub in a brief interview with Le Devoir on the sidelines of the event. “What makes that [les systèmes] of these European countries function well, it is very much their structure”.
“We need to have this debate once and for all. Of [ne] not have any complex to present our ideas”, declared by video-conference the leader of the party, Éric Duhaime who was not on site.
Private hospitals
To improve the efficiency of the health care system, the Conservatives want to allow the opening of private hospitals. These hospitals, they argue, would create new “competition” with the public network, which would improve the overall service offer.
A possible formula to implement, while maintaining universal health care for all, they argue.
The PCQ also wants to allow Quebecers to subscribe to private health insurance, while maintaining public health insurance. In their model, physicians would also have the option of working in both the public and private sectors. The party does not want to “privatize” but “liberalize” health services, explained Dr. Elayoubi.
Several speakers also insisted on the importance of the choice of words during this colloquium. As the election campaign approached, the party led by Éric Duhaime wanted to prepare its members and candidates to respond to the most common objections to the opening of private health care.
“Our candidates are going to need arguments to explain our proposals”, had launched by way of introduction the president of the political Commission of the party, André Valliquette.
Economists from the Montreal Economic Institute (IEDQ) and the Conseil du Patronat du Québec gave presentations one after the other at the beginning of the afternoon.
During a panel at the end of the day, the president of the IEDQ, Michel Kelly-Gagnon submitted arguments to the audience to convince the skeptics. “I will give you rhetorical arguments. I have been in the debate for 25 years, the objections are always the same, always so superficial and visceral. He does respond to it anyway.”
Earlier, political analyst and party activist Joanne Marcotte took stock of the flaws in Health Minister Christian Dubé’s plan. “The Dubé Plan is not a plan. It was written by and for public servants. Let us remember that there are 60% more deputy ministers [au ministère de la Santé] since the Legault government was elected. So we have to make this world work!”, She mocked.
Ms. Marcotte, however, recommended that her party take up certain ideas from Plan Dubé, including the new counter for access to a family doctor, decentralization and the granting of more responsibilities to specialized nurse practitioners.