Emergencies are feeling the effects of the end of the agreement on the Front Line Access Center (GAP) between Quebec and family doctors. According to groups of emergency doctors, more orphan patients with non-urgent problems go to emergency rooms in certain regions. But ridership remains the same across Quebec.
The government has still not reached an agreement with the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec to renew the agreement concerning the GAP which ended on 1er June. The DD Judy Morris, president of the Association of Emergency Physicians of Quebec, hopes that the negotiations will be concluded quickly.
“People in the field tell us that there are more outpatient visits, more minor cases, and that they sometimes have the impression of working without an appointment,” she says.
Certain regions suffer more from the non-renewal of the agreement, according to the DD Sophie Gosselin, president of the Regroupement des chefs d’urgence du Québec. “There are GAPs that have continued to offer services to the population,” she said. In certain places, especially in the regions, there were fewer appointments given and this resulted in an increase in less urgent cases in the emergency room. »
Renewals or simple follow-ups
In Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Gaspésie, patients ended up in emergency rooms to obtain “medication renewals” or “work accident follow-ups from the CNESST”, she cites as examples.
The situation remains difficult in Outaouais. Around 90 appointment slots were offered by family doctors at GAP in June. “There are perhaps around forty still free,” says the head of the regional department of general medicine in Outaouais, Dr.r Marcel Guilbault. “It may change, but it’s nothing compared to the 5,000 we usually get each month. » Emergency rooms in the region usually take advantage of unused GAP slots in order to redirect non-urgent cases to medical clinics.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Emergency room traffic has not increased in recent weeks across the province.
“Our waiting rates are exploding,” laments the DD Christal Dionne, head of the emergency department at the regional CISSS. Last Thursday, the treatment time reached a little over 11 hours at the Gatineau hospital and 9 hours at the Hull hospital, compared to around 5 hours on average in 2023-2024.
“I find it a shame for patients who do not need to be in the emergency room,” said the DD Dionne. This creates clutter that is not necessary. For children, for the older population, it carries risks to spend 20 hours in a waiting room. »
No increase in total ridership
Emergency room traffic has not increased in recent weeks across the province, according to data from the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS). As of June 10, Quebec recorded 9,735 visits, including 6,635 outpatient visits.
People tell me that there are more orphan patients coming to the emergency room. But if they are orphan patients, that means that there are other patients who come less, because the total number is the same.
The Dr Gilbert Boucher, president of the Association of Emergency Medicine Specialists of Quebec
The Dr Boucher, who is part of the emergency crisis unit as well as the Santé Québec transition committee, hypothesizes that family doctors are offering as many appointments as before, but are seeing “other types of patients , perhaps patients assigned to them.” The latter would therefore be able to see their family doctor, thus avoiding emergencies.
Few beaches offered at GAP
According to the MSSS, as of June 6, 5,841 medical appointments were offered at the GAP for the week of June 15, compared to 18,000 to 23,000 on average usually. The number of requests received at the Access Desk has decreased by approximately 15% since the end of May.
In the Montreal region, the number of medical appointment slots offered at GAP rose to 3,260 the week of June 3. This is a drop of 50% compared to the average weekly number of 6,000 to 7,000, according to the head of the regional department of general medicine in Montreal, Dr.D Ariane Murray.
The number of consultations offered by family doctors in medical clinics, on the Rendez-vous santé Québec site, through the GAP, and in reorientation, has however been maintained since the end of the agreement on the GAP , she emphasizes. Proof, she says, that doctors are working. “On average, we give around 10,000 meetings per week in Montreal,” she says. It hasn’t really changed. »