Quebec Family Doctors Reject Key Provisions of New Health Law

Opposition to Quebec’s new health-care law is intensifying as regional family-medicine leaders express their refusal to implement significant aspects of Bill 2. The department heads announced their stance in a joint letter directed to Premier François Legault and top health authorities on October 3, 2023. Their main concern lies in the law’s stipulations regarding doctor compensation and penalties linked to patient volume.

Concerns Over Patient Volume and Workload

At the GMF Santé Kildare clinic in Côte Saint-Luc, QR codes have been introduced to connect patients with an online petition opposing the controversial legislation. Dr. Michael Kalin, a family physician at the clinic, described the petition as a final attempt to persuade the government to repeal the law, which threatens the viability of many clinics. “You can’t ask a system that’s overloaded to see more patients. We’re saturated,” Kalin stated.

The letter from family-medicine directors outlines specific provisions they refuse to enforce, including the assignment of 1.5 million unattached patients to clinics already struggling to manage their current caseloads. They also object to the requirement of monitoring and disciplining colleagues who do not meet patient quotas.

Dr. Ariane Murray, the Montreal Regional family medical director, emphasized that directing patients to clinics that cannot accommodate them merely addresses the issue superficially. “We cannot imagine having to impose more patients on our colleagues when they are already completely overwhelmed,” she explained.

Impact on the Medical Workforce

The directors express concern that increased surveillance of doctors will exacerbate the current workforce crisis. “If we transform our job into being the controllers of the government, honestly, there are not many amongst us that are going to want to continue doing that job,” Dr. Murray remarked. The sentiment reflects a broader anxiety within the medical community about the sustainability of their work environment under the new law.

Despite the pushback from medical professionals, Health Minister Christian Dubé continues to support the law. Dubé questions the interpretations of the legislation by physicians, stating, “The way the law was designed, there’s a 60-day period, and I think some people will start to realize they had some information that was not correct.”

Dr. Kalin, however, stands firm in his assessment of the law’s implications. He expressed gratitude for the support of his colleagues in opposing the legislation and emphasized the need for a united front: “I’m very encouraged. I feel supported, and it’s time for us to make a strong voice saying this law will not work and we cannot enforce it.”

The situation highlights a growing rift between healthcare providers and government authorities in Quebec, raising critical questions about the future of the province’s healthcare system and the welfare of its medical practitioners.