The takeover of medical clinics by entrepreneurs from various fields raises concerns. Like the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ), Québec solidaire and the Parti Québécois believe that these clinics should be owned by doctors. The Federation of Health and Social Services (FSSS-CSN) believes that their management must be repatriated to the public sector.
The duty reported Thursday that more and more companies in industries like real estate and IT are becoming owners of medical clinics — a legal practice. The FMOQ is concerned about this phenomenon which, according to it, poses “a certain risk for the future of the public health system and potentially [pour] the quality of care provided. She says she fears “a commodification of care”. The new owners of medical clinics argue that they are instead taking on tasks that doctors do not want to do.
Quebec solidaire MP Vincent Marissal says he shares the FMOQ’s concern “to see the proliferation of private investors who sometimes have nothing to do with the health sector.” “If they garrochent there is money to be made there, says the spokesperson for the second opposition group on health. It contributes to the commodification, the commercialization of the health network. »
According to Parti Québécois MP Joël Arseneau, we must “restrict the appetite of investors of all kinds” for medical clinics. The spokesperson for the third opposition group on health, social services and home care believes that the Legault government must require that medical clinics be owned by doctors.
“The example of pharmacist owners is one that must be followed,” he judges. For us, it’s a minimum. » He brushes aside the argument according to which doctors “want to practice and not be burdened with administrative management tasks”. “It doesn’t hold water,” he said. Pharmacists can very well practice their profession while owning a business. »
The president of the Federation of Health and Social Services (FSSS-CSN), Réjean Leclerc, deplores the fact that medical clinics belong to entrepreneurs who are not doctors. According to him, “the front line” of the health system is being privatized. “We are selling the health network in pieces,” he says. According to him, “the government must have the courage to say that it will take care of the management of clinics” if doctors prefer to concentrate on medical procedures rather than business management.
Mr. Leclerc predicts that if the trend continues, “the Costcos and Walmarts” of the world will soon become interested in this sector of activity. “And there, we will find ourselves in issues of consolidation, taking possession and setting up chains [de cliniques médicales] “, he said.
Questioned in a press scrum on this subject Thursday morning, the Minister of Health Christian Dubé indicated that the subject could be discussed during upcoming negotiations with family doctors. “There are doctors for whom it makes them very happy not to have to work on the administrative aspect, on the paperwork,” he said. There is already an advantage to that. Are there other doctors who decide to do the work themselves and then own it? The answer is yes. We have a combination of the two. But it will be part of the discussions of the next framework agreement. »