(Quebec) Certain nurse practitioners specializing in primary care will be able to begin next week to take care of people who register at the access window to a family doctor.
This was announced Thursday by the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, who presented this change as a way to offer Quebecers better access to a health professional.
Currently, only family doctors can treat people who register at the family doctor access desk.
Starting next Monday, primary care specialist nurse practitioners (IPS) who work in the 11 IPS clinics currently open will also be able to do so. And subsequently, the government intends to extend this measure to all IPS practice environments.
Quebec estimates that ultimately, more than 1,000 NPs will be able to care for patients, “which will significantly improve access to primary care for the population of Quebec.”
Minister Dubé is expected to discuss this change further on Thursday afternoon, when he speaks at the annual general meeting of the Association of Specialized Nurse Practitioners of Quebec, but he highlighted the benefits of this measure in a press release published in the morning.
“We must rebuild the front line in health and this requires a greater contribution from all health professionals: the right professional, for the right patient, at the right time, that is what we are committed to. engaged with the Health Plan,” he maintained.
NPs are nurses who have at least two years of experience and who have completed a master’s degree in nursing and obtained an additional diploma in medical sciences.
Those who specialize in primary care can support people who suffer from chronic illnesses, such as diabetes or hypertension, and treat common health problems such as ear infections or urinary infections, among others.