Orphan patients: there is still work to be done, admits Legault

While the number of patients on the waiting list for a family doctor has increased in recent years, François Legault nevertheless believes that his government has taken a step “in the right direction” in this file.

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Four years ago, the number of Quebecers on a waiting list to have access to a family doctor or to a family medicine group (FMG) was approximately 480,000 people. Today, 814,000 people find themselves in this situation.

« At the time, there were people who did not register on the list, » explained Prime Minister François Legault on Tuesday, passing through Laval to present his candidate in Laval-des-Rapides, Céline Haytayan.

The Prime Minister admitted that there is “still work to do”, but he argued that the state of affairs has indeed improved during his tenure.

“When we arrived in October 2018, there were 4.4 million Quebecers who had access to a family doctor or a FMG. Today there are 4.7 million. So there are 300,000 more people who have access to a family doctor, to a GMF,” he said.

He also blamed the Liberal government of Philippe Couillard, which had signed an agreement until 2023 without requiring family doctors to take care of it.

“Christian Dubé has managed, in recent months, to reopen this agreement, and we have added 288,000 more who have access to a family medicine group.”

The Prime Minister added that the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ) has committed to taking care of 250,000 additional patients by March 31, 2023, after which the government will negotiate a new agreement with the Federation.

• Listen to Alexandre Dubé’s interview with Maude Laberge, professor of health economics at Laval University on QUB radio: