When a couple of doctors retire in two weeks, they will be short of 8 family doctors out of the 31 needed to accommodate the region.
More than 5,000 patients will find themselves without family doctors after this departure in a MRC of just over 20,000 inhabitants.
The doctor and head of the Bas-Saint-Laurent regional department of general medicine, Eric Lavoie, is concerned but puts things into perspective.
” Yes, we are concerned about Matane because (…) these patients who do not have family doctors, [ils] will be more numerous in proportion to Matane, but it can happen in all RLS [Réseaux locaux de santé]. »
The government distributes doctors who graduate each year, but that does not meet the needs. Many regions are affected by the large number of retirements and the lack of manpower.
Bas-Saint-Laurent expects to have between 12 and 15, but would need at least 25.
Matane hospital
Photo: Radio-Canada / Jean-François Deschênes
Restore the image of the profession
According to data obtained by Radio-Canada, 73 positions for family medicine residents have not been filled in Quebec faculties of medicine this year.
The Bas-Saint-Laurent Association of General Practitioners believes that family medicine received bad press under the Liberals, which would have had a negative impact on registrations.
This image must be restored, says the president, Josée Bouchard.
” Currently, young doctors are a little discouraged because it is as if family medicine is responsible for all the ills of the health care system. (…) We call that in our jargon, the “doctor bashing” »
Josée Bouchard is President of the Association of General Practitioners of Bas-Saint-Laurent and Secretary-Treasurer of the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec (FMOQ).
Photo: Radio-Canada
Like other regions of the province, Matanie faces a shortage of health professionals. The MRC and elected officials have been working for a long time to attract them to the region.
The MNA for Matane-Matapédia, Pascal Bérubé, has lost count of the number of recruitment activities in which he has participated. We are helping to attract doctors, we are in competition with everyone. So we will have to be even more attractive.
The PQ MP for Matane-Matapédia, Pascal Bérubé.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Francois Gagnon
To care for patients, CISSS relies, for example, on emergency physicians or on the new first-line access counter, the GAP.
What is GAP
This is a service that allows orphan patients to call a number which could allow them to have an appointment directly with a health professional without having to go through a family doctor.
This new concept is of little inspiration to the 75-year-old retiree from Matane, Marcel Bélanger, who lost his family doctor a few years ago. I feel like it’s impersonal. It will never replace a family doctor. It will never replace contact with your doctor.
To keep in shape, Marcel Bélanger walks his dog Tara every day. He is waiting to be assigned a new family doctor. “I’m waiting with not too much concern because of my health situation, but if I had any major health issues I would be much more worried. »
Photo: Radio-Canada / Jean-François Deschênes
Another project that could help the region is the future medical teaching pavilion in Rimouski. The first students should be welcomed this fall.
Numbers and needs of family physicians, CISSS du BSL
- 25/31 (-6) Matanie (-8 doctors as of May 31)
- 28/34 (-6) Temiscouata
- 38/43 (-5) Riviere-du-Loup
- 72/76 (-4) Rimouski
- 27/30 (-3) Kamouraska
- 22/23 (-1) Mitis
- 26/27 (-1) Matapedia
Source: CISSS du BSL, data from April 14, 2022
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca