A growing number of family doctors in Quebec are turning away from the public healthcare system – with just over 200 GPs now working in private care.

In 2011, a mere 18 doctors worked in the private system.

“We are quite concerned -- not just a little bit -- about that phenomenon,” said Dr. Charles Bernard of the Quebec College of Physicians, adding that there are many reasons why some doctors choose to go private.

“He doesn't have a lot of support – maybe he doesn't have the people he needs, maybe he doesn't have the technical support for his practice. We know also that there is a lot of work in the public system and maybe the organization about that is not quite fit for the physician,” he said.

Some patients who choose to pay for private treatment say it's worth the money.

"They made me feel so comfortable that you want to spend the money. People were saying to me at first, you know, you should wait, go to the Jewish and have it done, you could wait six months. And I said no," said one Montreal patient.

The Quebec Federation of General Practitioners says the number of family doctors leaving the public system has been constant since 2007, with about 15 GPs switching to private practice each year.

Patients’ rights advocate Paul Brunet said that's bad news for the average Quebecer, since many are already frustrated by long waits in the public system.

“Because of public money, people should have direct access -- whatever their means are, wherever they are living and whatever their condition is. That's not true,” said Brunet, president of the Council of Protection of the Sick.

Doctors need better working conditions to keep them in the public system, said Brunet.

“What we hear from doctors is that it has become so bureaucratic, so slow. They are available, but they don't have access to adequate installations, adequate staffing for surgeries and other ways of meeting and treating a patient,” he said.

The Quebec College of Physicians is hoping the newly-placed team in Quebec's health ministry will be open to suggestions.

“We will meet with those new members of government and the new (health) minister, Dr. Barrette, who we know, and I'm sure we'll have discussions about this,” said Bernard.

It will be the main topic of discussion at their annual congress, next week in Quebec City.