The number of Quebec patients that have a family doctor has dropped from 82 per cent in 2019 to 73.3 per cent in 2023, according to research from the Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ).
The data illustrates that the massive decline is connected to a wave of family doctors that recently retired, leaving patients to be cared for by a group of family doctors.
The Quebec Health Ministry noted that the “overall registration rate” of the guichet d’accès à la première ligne, known as the GAP, has risen to 83.1 per cent as of July 15.
Health experts claim that several thousand of vulnerable patients, whose health concerns are deemed high priority, are currently being cared for by multiple family physicians in Montreal.
Although some doctors claim this method can work for certain patients, others point out that patients with multiple health conditions must be followed by the same physician.
The Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ) suggested a team made up of doctors, nurses and other health professionals could start taking on patients.