An overwhelming majority of doctors believe that access to health care is poor in Quebec and are even more critical of the system than their own patients, reveals a survey.
• Read also: Quebec agrees with general practitioners
No less than 94% of doctors find it difficult to have a medical appointment in the evening or on the weekend, reveals a recent survey by the firm SOM carried out for the Collège des médecins du Québec (CMQ), and that The newspaper got exclusive. The data was compiled prior to yesterday’s announcement.
This rate of dissatisfaction is even higher than among the general population.
“Doctors are almost unanimous: access to care within a reasonable time is difficult”, summarizes the pollster in the document, adding further that the access problems are “glaring”.
“Quality medicine also means accessible medicine,” says Dr. Mauril Gaudreault, president of the CMQ. When there are access difficulties like this […], this is very worrying. We will have to tackle it. »
Hard situation
In a context where access to health care is of concern to the population after two years of the pandemic, the College surveyed 2,675 physicians (more than 10% of the workforce) to find out their opinion on the difficulty in obtaining appointments.
Whether it’s having access to a general practitioner or a specialist or a consultation without an appointment, more than 80% of doctors find the situation difficult.
The public also responded to the survey. Disturbing fact: 40% of Quebecers said they needed a consultation in the past year, but did not act because they were unable to get an appointment, or felt that would be too long.
Difficult to access to health care
Doctors find it difficult to refer a patient to…
- Another doctor: 56%
- A nurse: 41%
- A pharmacist: 8%
Do you find it difficult to have…
An appointment in the evening or on the weekend
- Doctors: 94%
- Citizens: 88%
An appointment with a medical specialist
- Doctors: 86%
- Citizens: 86%
An appointment with a family doctor
- Doctors: 86%
- Citizens: 67%
A consultation without an appointment
- Doctors: 85%
- Citizens: 76%
Non-emergency health care
- Doctors: 84%
- Citizens: 70%
Information on prevention and lifestyle
- Doctors: 44%
- Citizens: 29%
Percentage of respondents who rate access as somewhat or very difficult
Source: Som survey, College of Physicians of Quebec
- The survey was conducted online between March 25 and April 12. A total of 2,675 physicians responded, and 1,125 citizens from across Quebec.