Some Montrealers Without a Family Doctor for 4+ Years

Some Montrealers go to the emergency room for non-emergency needs – such as a requisition – as a result of not being able to access a family doctor. Many Montrealers have been waiting more than 4 years on a waiting list to be paired with a family doctor... but could this change?

Province-wide, around 1 million Quebecers are without a family doctor.  Quebec has announced it has come to an agreement in principle with the association that represents family doctors (FMOQ). The deal is set to be ratified at the end of May, so will this mean Montrealers and the rest of the province will have faster access to a family doctor?

Montreal resident Shelina Tizfahm has been waiting 4 years for a new family doctor since her last doctor retired. 

She said her family doctor stopped practicing medicine abruptly and without warning, affecting her whole family. Tizfahm said she went on a waiting list but has still been waiting more than four year, causing her to lose hope.

She said her mother suffers from a chronic health condition and couldn't access a family doctor either. Tizfahm said she gets help from a doctor in a hospital emergency room, but it's still not a family doctor and it's disheartening.

Tizfahm added that considering her health she goes day by day hoping she won't need a family doctor.

So what does this new deal between the government and family doctors include? 

This will allow those with a family doctor in need of critical care access to their doctor or another between 36 to 72 hours.

Dr Marc-André Amyot, president of the FMOQ, which is the association representing family doctors, says Quebeccers will benefit from this agreement.

Those without or still waiting for a family doctor will be able to use an online platform to set them up with a healthcare worker.

The deal is said to provide hundreds of thousands of patients on a waiting list access to a family doctor by March 31, 2023. This has not yet been confirmed, as members of the FMOQ have to ratify the deal. The vote will be held at the end of May.