Premier François Legault and the Quebec government have launched a smart, visionary new plan. They’re going to link 25% of physicians’ paychecks to their value-based care scorecards. This proposal is a small step towards improving healthcare efficiency by providing patients with quicker access to surgeries and medical examinations in every corner of our province. The strategy lays out clear benchmarks that providers need to achieve in order to be eligible for this huge pay boost.
Our ultimate aspiration is for everyone to have 99% of necessary surgeries within one year. Additionally, we want 95% of medical imaging exams interpreted within five days. This announcement marks just one piece of a larger strategy. The intention is to get more British Columbians timely, consistent access to health care services while better managing wait times across the province.
Objectives and Performance Indicators
To get this much needed pay raise, physicians will have to deliver on a series of targets established by the government. It’s a big ask, requiring them to deliver 18 million additional appointments annually. It is absolutely critical that at least 85% of these consultations occur within a three-day window. The plan underscores this administration’s commitment to reaching our most vulnerable patients. It requires that at least 90% of this demographic be provided with ample care.
Another key part of the proposal that’s worse than the current status quo is requiring a physician to be on call 24/7. This requirement only applies to long-term care facilities (CHSLD). This policy is intended to help make sure that patients in these settings get the timely medical attention they need when their condition warrants it. Premier Legault impressed that two-thirds of doctors of 162 professionals are already serving the population of the Québécois. He impresses upon you a very urgent need for that other third to do much more than they’ve done.
Negotiations with Medical Federations
The Quebec government plans to pursue negotiations with two major medical federations—the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ) and the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ)—in parallel. This dual approach, we hope, will help to spark discussions that will help implement performance indicators for specialists and general practitioners to work towards more appropriate care.
The FMSQ is advocating for the establishment of a dispute resolution mechanism to be part of these negotiations. They are looking to continue discussions around the as-yet-unpublished proposed changes. The FMOQ previously rejected a project that involved categorizing patients by color and individual deregistration, highlighting the complexities involved in reforming healthcare practices.
Skepticism from Opposition Parties
Now the government wants to improve access to primary care through a new pay-for-performance model. Doubt remains among opposition parties in La Belle Province. Critics argue that linking salary increases to performance metrics may not address the underlying issues affecting healthcare access and quality. They warn that these types of initiatives may unintentionally shift the emphasis in patient care from quality to quantity.
Opposition leaders have called for a more critical review of the proposed public-private plan. They call on the Administration to consider other approaches that focus more on patients. Their priority is a multi-pronged solution to address each of the systemic problems besetting Quebec’s healthcare system. Rather than prescribing new performance indicators, we need to relieve the added burden on healthcare workers.
