Reaction to the speech given by Quebec's Minister of Health and Social Services at the Canada 2020 Healthcare Summit - QMA asking Minister Barrette to go beyond the economic vision

MONTREAL, Sept. 29, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Alongside the Canada 2020 Healthcare Summit, the Québec Medical Association (QMA) is inviting Quebec's Minister of Health and Social Services, Gaétan Barrette, to include the medical profession in his thought processes on federal health transfers and general healthcare funding. The QMA believes in the positive influence that doctors can have on the inclusion of clinical relevance, and considers that it would be to the Minister's benefit to include them in his discussions on a plan aimed at optimizing clinical practice that would allow healthcare funds to be reallocated more efficiently.

Despite the Minister's eloquent demonstration of the increase in healthcare expenditure, the QMA remained dissatisfied while questions on quality of care, relevance and accessibility remained an issue, although they have a definite impact on the healthcare budget. In fact, the QMA believes that the economic discourse in negotiations between the provinces and the federal government should include discussions on overdiagnosis and the impact on healthcare results.

"It is a question of efficiently managing the funds already injected into the healthcare system so that the right patient receives the appropriate care at the right time," stated QMA President Dr. Yun Jen.

There is every indication that Minister Barrette is admitting to the need to eliminate overdiagnosis and to trust doctors in this respect, as shown by his upcoming participation at the 5th International Conference on Preventing Overdiagnosis, held in Quebec City in 2017 and organized by the QMA.

"The QMA intends to maintain its efforts to move this issue, which is of major importance to Quebec patients, forward," Dr. Jen added. "Our field training already mobilizes numerous doctors keen on doing things differently. We remain fully open to working closely with Minister Barrette to move this issue along and submit possible solutions," she concluded.

About the QMA

The Quebec Medical Association comprises nearly 10,000 general practitioners, specialists, residents and medical students. Its mission is to bring together members of the Quebec medical community in a context that promotes reflection and action in the best interest of the health of Quebecers.

SOURCE Quebec Medical Association

Denise Pelletier, Communications and Marketing Director, Quebec Medical Association, Telephone: [phone], ext. 230, Toll-free: 1 800 363-3932, Email: [email protected]