Quebec doctors try to sell Gatan Barrette on Bill 20 alternatives

Hundreds of doctors from across Quebec opposed to the government's Bill 20 attended a weekend summit in Montreal to outline alternatives to the controversialbill.

A collective of general practitionersknown by the French acronym ROME held a colloquiumto discuss other options to Bill 20 which,among other things, would impose a quota on the number of patients family physicians must take on.

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Health MinisterGatanBarrettehas said forcing family doctors to treat a minimum number of patients in their clinics will help more Quebecers get a family doctor.

Barrette said it's a better option than the current set-up, which he said encourages people to visit hospital ERs instead of a doctor's office.

But many of the province's doctors fear the proposed Bill 20 will only push more doctors away.

"Imposing quotas to physicians is going to make physicians decide to maybe go to private care, or actually leave the province," said Dr. TonyAssouline.

That, he continued, would end up making it harder forQuebecersto find a family doctor.

Suggested alternatives to Bill 20

Those who attended the ROME conference put together a letter outlining a dozen suggestions for making the health-care system more accessible.

I can see a greater number of patients if I am not wasting my time over the course of the daytrying to get results, trying to get information back that I've asked for.- Dr. Robin Coombs

"We are asking the government to not impose a reform that the majority of health-care professions are against. We are asking the government to rescind Bill 20 and put in place a series of solutions that would respond to the same accessibility goals," the letter reads in French.

The list of suggestions includes better policies for keeping seniors at home for as long as possible, abolish the requirement that doctors perform specific medical activities (which forces them to work outside of their clinics) and push the province to make good on its promiseto use electronic medical records(EMRs).

However, Barrette on Sunday said he found the list of 12 recommendations surprising because, according to him, 10 of them are already in the works. He didn't explain which 10 were underway.

He said the doctors he's spoken to have largely agreed that abolishing the mandatory hospital service is not a good option. He also said that doctors are responsible for bearing the brunt of the cost of implementing an EMR system, not the province.

Barrette continued, saying that nothing is stopping doctors from working more closely together with interdisciplinary staff likenurses, pharmacists and social workers.

"The problem is starting with the doctors," Barrette said. "This bill will stimulate them."

Bill 20 may cause doctor exodus

Some doctors say they would be more productive is the entire health-care system was better organized to promote smoother communication.

"Iam happy providing care for more patients, if I have access to the services I need to provide that care.I can see a greater number of patients if I am not wasting my time over the course of the daytrying to get results, trying to get information back that I've asked for," saidDr. RobinCoombs, a family doctor at theKildareclinic inCteSt-Luc.

Originally from Ontario, Coombs said she would consider returning to her home province if Bill 20 is implemented. She said her possible future decision will be influencedby whether she feels she can continue to provide high-quality care in this province.

"We need to be able to do our jobs that's the commitment that we've made to our patients, and if we are in a situation where where we cannot provide the quality of care that we've committed to, we may have to make those decisions. So unfortunately, it is something that I have thought about and I know a good number of my colleagues, even native Quebecers have thought about, whether they will be moving to other provinces," Coombs said.