Health Minister Philippe
Couillard and Dr Renald Dutil, President of the
FMOQ, announce a multi-million dollar deal
Photo credit: Judah Issa |
After eight months of intense negotiations,
Quebec's GPs have agreed to a new deal with the provincial
government that pays them significantly less than they
had demanded.
The agreement includes a 19.3%
guaranteed raise, plus up to another 12% or so in potential
incentives — a far cry from the 45% raise the Quebec
Federation of General Practitioners (FMOQ) says is necessary
to bring their salaries in line with those of other
Canadian GPs.
While FMOQ members voted overwhelmingly
in favour of the agreement — it is, after all,
worth almost half a billion dollars in total —
FMOQ president Dr Renald Dutil says hope is still riding
on future negotiations, set for 2010 and 2014, to bring
Quebec GPs' pay up to par with the rest of the country.
CLOSING
THE GAP
The agreement comes in two parts. "The first part of
the agreement is an equity settlement for Quebec GPs
worth $293.2 million, spread out between 2008 and 2016,"
explained Minister of Health Philippe Couillard at a
November 19 press conference. "The second part is $148.3
million in incentives to see new patients and improve
follow-up care."
The equity settlement amounts to
less than half of the 45% the FMOQ wanted. "The government
decided to apply two weighting factors to reduce that
initial percentage," says Dr Dutil. "One is the cost
of living in Quebec and the other, according to a national
Canadian Medical Association survey — which the
federation disagrees with — is that Quebec GPs
work on average five hours less per week than other
GPs."
Quebec doctors work just as much
as others, Dr Dutil insists. "But we have more women
doctors than other provinces, and they are young and
take maternity leaves. We also have more doctors working
on a part-time basis, so this might explain the difference."
IMPROVING
ACCESS
To make up part of the difference in pay, the agreement
also sets out 25 measures to improve access to physicians,
conditions of practice and the organization of medical
services, each of which carries with it a financial
incentive for GPs. For instance, a physician can earn
$100 for taking on a new patient and providing follow-up
care.
Another measure, inspired by Ontario's
Comprehensive Care Model, will ensure all patients are
registered with a family doctor. "They started that
in Ontario three years ago, and now almost 50% of the
population is registered, so it has improved access
and continuity of care," says Dr Dutil. Other measures
offer more incentives for doctors to work in sectors
suffering severe physician shortages, like emergency
rooms and acute care units, to work evenings, and to
take on more at-risk patients like diabetics.
All in all, with the projected
incentives, the agreement provides for a nearly 31%
raise for Quebec GPs and, according to Dr Dutil, should
give rise to new practice models that will meet the
needs of Quebecers today.
|
