The health system in Quebec is getting better and better, according to Minister responsible for health Christian Dubé. really?
I am not specialized in business management or economics, but the observations and reports that I am aware of do not go in the direction of a functional system. And this is especially so in the case of the 2.1 million Quebecers who do not have a family doctor (according to the national institute for excellence in health and social services INESSS).
A few months ago, an orphaned patient had to dial 811 for a doctor’s appointment, wait on the line for hours, only to be told there was no room available.
Orphan patients
Today, everything has changed because Minister Dubé has reorganized the system. Now you have to be online at Rendez-vous Santé Québec (RVSQ), wait for someone to call you back a few days later to tell you there is no vacancy.
This is absurd for several reasons. First, government (like many of its institutions) has a duty to act, not deliver results. In his annual report, Mr. Dubé will be able to state that he has made significant changes in the health care organization. But what about the results? Regardless of the outcome, we have solved the problem and in that sense we can check the box.
Second, you don’t have to be a tax expert to see that 2.1 million Quebecers sometimes give up to 50% of their salary (federal and provincial tax) in exchange for services they don’t receive. However, it is a contract between governments and taxpayers. Do I give you half my salary in exchange for services I don’t get?
Specific effects
This situation has concrete impacts on people’s lives, especially the elderly. When a 65-year-old patient recently contacted an RVSQ worker to undergo a health check (which consists of a carefully analyzed blood test), the nurse kindly replied that this is no longer possible in Quebec because the health system does not exist. longer able to respond to urgent health problems.
So, do you think that performing a health checkup will not reduce urgent requirements as a preventive measure? the man replied. The nurse readily agreed to this question. Then the patient continued: So how can I get a health check? Should I go private? The nurse replied, “I’m not allowed to tell you, but I do.”
But I see that health care is not only unavailable to almost 25% of the Quebec population, but what seems even more serious to me is that those involved are obliged to hide it at the behest of the Ministry of Health. And that really appeals to me as a professional in the field of human psychology. Because, you know what you call an organization that hides problems, is aware of not fulfilling its obligations, and yet profits from it year after year (here through taxes)?
It is therefore our civic duty to denounce the real impact of the mismanagement of health care in Quebec. Isn’t it time to bring a little more justice and compensate orphaned patients for the care they seek in a private network, for example? And above all, isn’t it time our health was made a priority in Quebec?
Photo courtesy of Frankie Bernèche
Frankie Bernèche, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
