Outaouais doctors sounding alarm over new provincial legislation

Doctors in western Quebec say new provincial legislation is impacting care and leading to resignations. CTV’s Katie Griffin reports.

On the same day the majority of operating rooms were closed at the Hull and Gatineau hospitals, high-ranking doctors, including some who have resigned, held a news conference about the state of healthcare in the Outaouais region and the impact of Bill 2, which overhauls the work and pay structures of physicians.

“The system here is dying,” said Dr. Trevor Hennessey, who is resigning as head of anesthesiology at Outaouais Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSSO). “We’ve lost thoracic surgery over 15 years ago, so unable to care locally for our lung cancer patients. Over several years we’ve lost obstetrical service at the Shawville Hospital in the Pontiac. This August, we’ve now lost our only vascular surgeon.”

At the news conference by the SOS Outaouais Coalition on Monday, Hennessey said only three of 12 operating rooms were in use because of a shortage of nurses.

He and other physicians are sounding the alarm over Bill 2, which, among other things, ties doctor salaries to performance targets and pays them a fixed amount per patient.

“As a chief of surgery fighting to organize good quality care with a service under strain, it’s very difficult,” said Dr. Éric Bégin, head of surgery. “Try to see the most urgent case, but all the others are left behind.”

The Quebec government maintains the bill is about accountability and improving access to care, but doctors worry it’s doing the opposite.

“If the waiting list goes up because [there are] not enough doctors to see patients, if we have more delay to see them, it’s the patient that will pay for that,” said Dr. Isabelle Gagnon, head of general medicine.

Since Oct. 23, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario said more than 250 Quebec doctors have applied to practice in Ontario.

Since Oct. 1, the Montfort Hospital in Ottawa says it has received more than 55 applications from physicians in Quebec—a “notable increase” compared to the usual few applications per month.

“Among the recent applications are physicians from various specialties, the majority of whom are in family medicine, as well as from various regions, the majority of whom are from outside the Outaouais, namely from the Montreal, Quebec City and Saguenay regions,” the hospital said in a statement.

Dr. Lionel-Ange Poungui resigned his administrative role as head of Obstetrics and Gynecology but is still seeing patients.

He is among many physicians weighing his options.

“Maybe to move from Quebec, maybe Ontario, maybe in New Brunswick,” he said.

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