More news from the French media >>>
February 8, 2012 Legault targets contracts of doctors, teachers - Charest lacks courage to make changes, he says
Dr. Louis Godin, president of the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec representing non-specialist doctors, said his federation is not opposed to Legault's ideas, but is opposed to his coercive approach, saying that encouraging doctors to take on more patients and investing more in family medicine clinics is the solution. >>>
June 21, 2011 Quebec drives away family doctors, The Gazette
When the permit policy was implemented in 2004, three out of four permit requests in Montreal were refused, Dulude said. "This year we had 60 new positions and 90 demands, so two out of three were accepted. There's a stabilization effect," he said. "We're not in a universe where we just make people happy. We have to be fair." >>>
June 13, 2011 Teaching hospitals hurting for residents, The Gazette
Grads shunning family medicine; Highest training vacancy rate in Canada means GP shortage is hard to cure
"They choose to go elsewhere," said Godin, whose association is currently involved in contract negotiations with Quebec. Quebec is bleeding doctors out-of-province because those who do their residencies elsewhere rarely return, he added. >>>
February 24, 2011 Special Report: Desperately Seeking Doctors, CTV News Montreal
Everyone knows there are not enough doctors in Quebec. More than two million Quebecers are without a family physician, a number that has only grown since the mid-1990s. Since then the province has been playing catch-up, and finding it difficult to convince young doctors to focus on family medicine, or to treat patients in rural areas. >>>
February 7, 2011 Quebec anti-depressant usage hits all-time high, CTV News
A study by a McGill researcher has revealed that a staggering 13 million prescriptions for anti-depressants were filled last year in Quebec. >>>
November 16, 2010 Pointless delays on electronic records, The Gazette
The problem is not convincing Quebec's doctors, pharmacists, medical clinics, and hospitals of the value of the new medium. Serge Dulude of the Association des Medecins omnipraticiens de Montreal told us it is "shameful" how slow Quebec has been in computerizing patients' health records and in rolling out a digital network across the province. >>>
September 29, 2010 Doctors group opposes assisted suicide: Better organization of end-of-life care is preferred option: general practitioners, The Gazette
"Euthanasia should be considered only to the extent that a better organization of end-of-life care is the preferred option in the health network," said Louis Godin, head of the Federation des medecins omnipraticiens du Quebec. >>>
August 23, 2010 Most see no cure for health system: Quebecers least satisfied, but it's top worry of all Canadians, poll finds, The Gazette
"The problem is that Quebec has the largest number of people in the country without a GP, Godin said, noting that, on average, 12 to 15 per cent of the Canadian population is without a GP compared to 25 to 30 per cent in Quebec" >>>
July 27, 2010 Faculty of medicine sees value in life experience : McGill hopes spots for non-traditional students will boost provincial GP numbers, The Gazette
"There is research which shows that older students choose more generalist careers," he said. "So one hope we have is that we can boost GP numbers -and we crucially need to address that problem in Canada." >>>
July 15, 2010 Quebec to create 500 'supernurse' jobs : Nurse practitioners can provide primary health care, CBC News
"Naturally, it won't solve the whole problem," said Louis Godin, a GP and president of the Quebec Federation of General Practitioners. "But it's a first step that will improve accessibility, and ultimately will allow doctors to see more patients, and to take on new patients." >>>
July 15, 2010 Quebec to add 500 front-line nurses by 2018, The Gazette
Have power to prescribe drugs, perform tests
The Quebec government will spend $ 117 million to add 500 front-line nurses to the health-care system by 2018, the Ministry of Health and Social Services announced yesterday. >>>
July 10, 2010 Health-care system not for sale: protesters, The Gazette
About 250 union and social activists -many waving the flags of Quebec's largest labour federations -carried placards denouncing the privatization of health-care services and the proposed $25-a-visit user fee, saying both would hurt those least able to afford them >>>
May 31, 2010 Doctors speak out on family medicine, McGill Faculty of medicine electronic newsletter
Diagnostic, the “documentary” posted on YouTube by the Quebec Federation of General Practitioners (FMOQ), has scored a major success. Comprised of reports by physicians who describe their practice and criticize wait times imposed on patients due to the shortage of general practitioners, the operation aims to put pressure on the Government of Quebec in the context of ongoing negotiations >>>
May 20, 2010 Quebec doctors cool to user-fee idea: European experience suggests fee may cause patients to compromise their care, HealthcareNetwork.ca
The Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec rejected the idea of patient user fees. The association said it feared that administering the health fee would be too complex, and that those who need medical care would restrict their visits to their doctors >>>
May 14, 2010 Quebec MD shortage spurs online pleas, CBC News
Quebec physicians have launched an online campaign to pressure the government to address a shortage of family doctors across the province >>>
May 12, 2010 Quebec doctors turn to YouTube to make case for respect, Global News-The Gazette
Filmed at hospitals, clinics and offices, five general practitioners speak about their passion for their work, wait lists for consultations (up to three months) and their concerns for their patients. If a family doctor retires, who picks up the slack? >>>
April 29, 2010 Don't tax the sick, MDs say, The Gazette
Coalition pans fee; Patients would pay with their health, Quebec told
"That's unacceptable and it's counterproductive," said Louis Godin, president of the Quebec Federation of Family Practitioners of a policy measure they say will set Quebec's universal health care back 40 years. >>>
April 28, 2010 Quebec doctors fight user fees, CBC.ca
The coalition, which says it represents about 75 per cent of the province's doctors, worries the fee will make health care less accessible — especially for the chronically ill and the poor >>>
March 9, 2010 Quebec GPs lay out salary demands, CBC News
General practitioners in Quebec are demanding a wage increase. They say that would bring them closer in line with the province’s medical specialists and would make it easier for Quebecers to find a family doctor. >>>
Quebec GPs lay out salary demands
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