Health experts say despite new funding, more will need to be done to reduce colonoscopy wait times in the Montreal area.

Last week, Quebec Health Minister Gaetan Barrette announced an investment to reduce colonoscopy waiting lists at designated hospitals in and around the city.

With the possibility that several private colonoscopy clinics will close in the new year, though, some experts still have concerns, because, they say, the demand for colonoscopies will only increase in the next few years.        

They say there are three main reasons for this.

First, there are already existing wait times for people at risk.

Secondly, after years of delays, the province's health ministry plans to officially roll out the Fecal Immuno-chemical Test, or FIT, program in 2018, an at-home screening test for people of average. More widespread use of FIT will mean more symptoms will be detected. While that’s a good thing, it will also increase demand for colonoscopies.

The third issue, as CTV has reported, is that several or all private endoscopy clinics could close in the new year because they'll no longer be able to charge accessory fees.         

“These clinics will have to close, and there are approximately 15,000 to 18,000 scopes that are done by the private clinics in the region, so that again will increase the demand for colonoscopy,” said Barry Stein from the Colorectal Cancer Association.

The Colorectal Cancer Association along with the Quebec Coalition for Priority in Cancer said they're happy the government is investing $4.7 million at designated hospitals so that 25,000 additional colonoscopies can be done next year, however, they say they are ‘cautiously optimistic,’ that money is enough to bring down the existing wait times.

Quebec's health ministry said there is no plan to change the funding model for private endoscopy clinics to alleviate the strain on the public system.

Public institutions will be principally responsible for delivering the service, however, the ministry pointed out that hospitals are permitted to contract out up to one third of a service to an outside clinic, to respond to the public in a timely fashion.