The Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, is giving a boost to make up for the delay in surgery, more particularly for patients who have been waiting for more than a year. It has entered into an agreement with the Federation of Medical Specialists of Quebec (FMSQ) to this effect.
“Today, what we wanted to ensure is that our targets are ambitious, but at the same time realistic. Because there is nothing worse than saying: “here is what we are aiming for”, but not being able to achieve them, ”said Mr. Dubé, in a press briefing on Wednesday at the Assembly. national.
By the end of 2024, the Minister therefore wishes to reduce to 2,500 the number of patients waiting for surgery for more than a year. This is the pre-pandemic level. Currently, more than 17,249 Quebecers are on this out-of-time waiting list.
In total, more than 158,000 Quebecers are waiting for an operation.
Under the agreement, medical specialists will be able to extend their work outside of regular hours, including evenings, holidays and weekends as needed.
A sum of $400 million from the Institute for the Appropriateness of Medical Acts will also be used to encourage nurses to come and work on a voluntary basis in operating theaters during evenings and weekends.
For each region, waiting list reduction targets have been set.
Further details will follow.
To see in video