Time to make time: Tentative deal with Quebec FPs to require them to allocate certain hours to urgent care

Quebec and the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec have reached an agreement in principle that would see doctors have to allocate a portion of time—otherwise used for normal appointments—to take care of urgent care needs as they arise. The province made a statement on Sunday that under the new agreement, Quebecers with a family doctor will be able to see their own doctor or another in their family medicine group in between 36 and 72 hours, CBC News reported. Those on the family physician waitlist, the Guichet d'accès à un médecin de famille, will meanwhile be given access to the Guichet d'accès à la première ligne—an online service still being developed. Through the service, Quebecers will be able to consult a healthcare professional within a “reasonable” amount of time. Health Minister Christian Dubé told Radio-Canada that those using the online service will also be able to get appointments in that 36-to-72-hour timeframe. Read: How the COVID-19 pandemic is shaping who will be the next Conservative party leader "The agreement in principle . . . is the result of several months of discussions, sometimes intense, but always with the shared vision that the status quo is no longer an option in terms of access," Dubé said over the weekend. "We are aware that these changes will require support, resilience and the contribution of many partners, including health institutions and regional departments of general medicine (DRMG) in each region." The Fédération’s president Dr. Marc-André Amyot noted that doctors cannot be the only recourse for those seeking healthcare in the province, given its significant shortage of about 1,000. "The right professional for the right patient at the right time must be the underlying objective of all our actions and this agreement clearly seems to us to be a good step in this direction," he said in a statement. With a final agreement expected in the coming weeks, as it stands the deal wouldn’t need further funds as it falls within the current 2015-2023 framework agreement. Read: How to help patients with cognitive symptoms of long COVID

Time to make time: Tentative deal with Quebec FPs to require them to allocate certain hours to urgent care

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