Montreal physician set to retire says none of her 800 patients has found a new family doctor
Dr. Geneviève Dechêne announced her retirement two years ago, but the Montreal physician says the health-care system is failing her 800 patients since none of them has been able to find a new family doctor.
She's not going quietly into retirement this December; she's using her voice to call the current situation unacceptable, especially for elderly patients, who will just end up in the hospital emergency room.
"If you have a severe lung condition, I will make you sure you have in your pharmacy [ahead of time] antibiotics, cortisone. For cancer, I may know you have acute pain so ... I will write medication for acute bouts of pain. But when you go to without-appointment clinics, that's not done. That's my job as a family doctor, taking charge. So yes, they will go many more times [to] the emergency room, they will be more hospitalized. They will suffer more. That's my main worry," she told CTV News.
"I love my patients and I hate to see that they will suffer."
Dechêne says this penalizes older, sicker patients because they don't get the consistent care that they would get if the same doctor treated them over time and knew their history.
Earlier this week, the Quebec Family Doctors Federation announced its members have collectively taken on more than half a million new patients, but Dechêne says these patients are all in the care of a family medicine clinic, not by one doctor.
Elderly patients need a real family doctor, she said, fearing that without a long-term doctor-patient relationship, older patients will end up in the ER.
"It's been well-proven all over the world that a follow-up by a family physician for severely sick patients is a plus. You get better treatment because that doctor knows you …you go less to the emergency room, and you're less sick," she said.
Dechêne says part of the problem is that family doctors such as herself spend 40 per cent of their time working in hospitals, more than double the rate in other provinces. Dechêne notes that Quebec is aging at a rapid pace and she says health-care system needs to adapt to that reality.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.