The Legault government could withdraw no less than 1.5 million medical appointments from people who have family doctors to redistribute them to people who do not.
This is one of the options proposed by the National Institute of Excellence in Health and Social Services (INESSS), in a study on the first line made public this week.
In doing so, only people who are more vulnerable and who have health problems would be assigned to a family doctor, to the detriment of healthy people.
Remember that originally, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) had promised access to a family doctor for each patient.
During the question period on Thursday, the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, mentioned new “vulnerability criteria” for care which were defined by INESSS.
“The doctors asked us to revise the criteria for patient vulnerability. It’s not done like that, shouting scissors,” he said.
“We are going to present this list of new criteria, by my colleague (the president of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel), who is negotiating with the doctors, and we will be able to find solutions so that the doctors […] are obliged to take vulnerable patients. »
2.1 million people without MDF
These scenarios are part of the negotiations to renew the agreement with the Federation of General Practitioners (FMOQ).
Currently, there are 2.1 million people who are not registered with a family doctor (MDF), the study reads.
“People registered with an MDF consult on average between 2 and 6 times more clinics than non-registered people, depending on their health profile. Conversely, people without registration with a family doctor consult the emergency room more often, particularly for non-urgent problems. »
For 2022-2023, 4.9 million people considered healthy accounted for 7.1 million visits made, out of a total of 17.6 million clinic consultations with doctors, specialized nurse practitioners (NPS) or at EMERGENCIES.
Healthy people registered with a doctor would lose 640,000 appointments and those not registered would gain 780,000.
Second category, among people with minor chronic conditions, who account for 1.4 million visits: registered people would lose 170,000 appointments and non-registered people would gain 90,000.
Third category, people with moderate conditions, who account for 5.5 million visits. Those registered would lose 570,000 visits, those not registered would gain 340,000.
Finally, patients dealing with major illnesses: registered people would lose 140,000 appointments, while non-registered people would gain 330,000.
Thus, the redistribution of appointments from registered to non-registered would total 1.5 million.