(Laval) The Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) proposes to make hospitalization at home accessible everywhere across Quebec within four years in order to unclog hospitals. François Legault’s party initially plans to deploy five of these units in the Greater Montreal and Capitale-Nationale regions by 2023.
Posted at 8:56
Updated at 10:29 a.m.
“It exists elsewhere. We have to live in 2022. When I see large hospitals like Boston doing it, I think we have to go in this direction, ”argued Mr. Legault on Sunday during a press briefing in front of the Cité hospital. of health in Laval.
According to the CAQ, “this new approach will allow patients whose state of health does not require them to be in hospital to receive their care in the comfort of their home”. However, certain criteria will be required in order to be hospitalized in the comfort of your home.
“The patient will have to give their consent, [que] its clinical condition allows home care, [que] the patient is accompanied by a caregiver who is comfortable and available to take care of them [et que] the patient resides within a predetermined perimeter of the hospital,” the party said.
“Patients who have given their consent and meet strict conditions will be integrated into a care unit where their state of health will be monitored by an interdisciplinary team. This team will support the patient virtually or through home visits, as needed.
Unclog hospitals
The CAQ explains that this alternative to hospitalization is a solution to unclog hospitals. Earlier this year, Health Minister Christian Dubé said he was seduced by the idea, which is the subject of a pilot project at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal.
“With a ratio of two beds per 1,000 inhabitants, Quebec has a lower hospital capacity than that of certain comparable developed countries. Thus, this ratio is 2.5 beds per 1000 inhabitants for Canada as a whole, 2.8 in the United States and it reaches 5.8 in France. The health network must seek innovative solutions to unclog hospitals,” it says.
Last April, in an interview with The Pressthe assistant director for quality, innovation and performance of the CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal pleaded for Quebec to take the gamble of caring for certain patients at home.
“With the waiting lists that have swelled […] why not favor the hospital for patients who need very heavy technical platforms and take a category of patients, those who need monitoring, follow-up, for the home? “, also questioned the Dr Vincent Oliva, president of the Federation of Medical Specialists of Quebec (FMSQ).
This new promise from the CAQ is the party’s fourth health commitment. Earlier this week, Francois Legault promised his political training would increase medical school admissions. He then said that a new CAQ government would create an application, “Votre santé”, to manage appointments across Quebec.
On Saturday, Mr. Legault promised to create private medical centers halfway between a family medicine group (GMF) and a hospital to treat minor cases who do not need to go to the emergency room.
Will private “mini hospitals” be profitable?
In this regard, François Legault once again defended on Sunday that the private “mini hospitals” he wishes to create, where care would be exclusively reimbursed by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), would be profitable for the promoters.
But how will the private sector, which by definition wants to make a profit, be able to do so if the government pays for each medical procedure the same price as it does in the public sector? By being efficient, replied Mr. Legault.
“Private entrepreneurs are resourceful, they are innovative and they will find ways to improve efficiency. I think it will even serve us to do the same thing on the public side, ”said the chief caquiste.
Mr. Legault also said that he sees no contradiction between his promise to reduce taxes and his request to the federal government to increase its participation in the financing of health care in Quebec.
“I would like Justin Trudeau to come and tell Quebecers [qu’ils ne méritent] not to pay lower taxes,” he said.