Consequently,
Proportion quebecers having family doctor:
Quebecers are fewer. Similarly, fewer to have a family doctor, the Institute of Statistics of Quebec (ISQ) revealed on Wednesday. Similarly, In 2024, only 72 % of the population was taken care of by an omnipratician, compared to 82 % in 2019.
This decrease is partly explained by the retirement of many family physicians. Moreover, by “the arrival of new doctors who register fewer patients than their colleagues with more experience”, according to ISQ.
“Doctors who retired after 30. Consequently, 40 years of practice followed many patients,” said the Dre Élise Boulanger, family doctor and member of the Quebec expert committee on the first line.
Unlike this generation. For example, today’s doctors at the start of their career have the obligation to devote part of their work week to other environments, such as emergencies or long -term care accommodation centers (CHSLD), according to local needs.
“Obviously, it proportion quebecers having family doctor decreases their ability to follow patients in the office. However, And some will then want to continue working more in these circles. In addition, as in the hospital, since they are now used to it or feel more comfortable, “says the Dre Boulanger.
The aging of the population also adds pressure on family doctors, she notes. For example, “People are more sick and have more chronic diseases. These people therefore come back to us more often, which means that we can take care of fewer patients. »»
Support by a group of doctors – Proportion quebecers having family doctor
In order to improve access to care. it has been possible since 2022 for orphaned patients to be followed by a group of family proportion quebecers having family doctor physicians rather than a single dedicated doctor. These group monitoring are however not counted in the official ISQ figures, which partly explains the drop in care rates.
This model as it is currently deployed in Quebec is however not ideal, estimates the Dre Baker. Most of the time, people followed by a group of family physicians are not assigned to a reference professional.
However, in the service of care, the relationship of trust with a professional is essential, she says. “It can be done within a team. but with a regular professional who knows the patient more and who sees him around 80 % of the time. »»
This bond of trust makes it possible to decrease in particular visits to emergency, hospitalizations and mortality, she notes.
“Change model”
Called to react. the office of the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, recognizes that “too many Quebec patients still cannot get an appointment when proportion quebecers having family doctor they need it”.
“The figures are clear. [On] Can no longer continue with the current model. This is why we will continue to make the necessary changes to improve access to care for all patients. ”he says.
The government wants. by the summer of 2026, the entire Quebec population is registered with a care environment – family medicine group (GMF) or CLSC – and has a reference professional, either a family doctor or a specialized practitioner (IPS).
However. there is a lack of professionals to get there, underlines the Dre France Légaré, who is a family doctor in Quebec.
“Fortunately, there is still an increase in cohorts in the various medical faculties. We are trying to run very quickly to make up for this delay. ”notes the one who is also a professor in the department of family medicine and emergency medicine at Laval University.
The Dre Élise Boulanger stresses that nurses working in GMF proportion quebecers having family doctor or CLSC are also part of the solution. They play a key role in increasing the capacity of family physicians and practitioners to follow more patients.
“The problem is that these nurses often arrive with training mainly focused on hospital work. They are therefore not ready to work in our environments. such as GMF or CLSC, and we must train them ourselves. It can take 6 to 12 months before they are their full capacity, ”she explains.
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