Quebec family doctors are once again calling for a substantial reduction in paperwork. But this time they have a new target: insurance companies.
Doctors say they spend hours filling out reimbursement forms instead of seeing sick patients.
Dr. Pascal Renaud was enthusiastic about checking and signing forms over and over again. He spends almost 25% of his time there every day.
Two hours of work a day, all on paper. We didn't see any other patients for two hours.
He says.
In Quebec, hundreds of patients make daily appointments to get these forms signed by their doctor, who then send them to their insurance company. This is because patients have to see other healthcare professionals and get reimbursed.
Many insurers require a doctor to prescribe massage therapy, physiotherapy, psychotherapy, etc. before reimbursement. […] These are unwanted visits!
Maintained by Dr. Renaud.
Dr. Pascal Renaud is the President of the Association of General Practitioners of Quebec, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec and an emergency physician at the Hépital de l'Enfant-Jesus in Quebec.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Pierre-Alexandre Bolduc
Rather than filling out administrative forms for insurance companies, we as doctors want to see sick patients and help them.
Additionally, physician forms often differ from one insurance company to another. So they have requested to standardize these documents.
Response from Insurers: Forms to Avoid Malpractices
The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, which represents private insurance companies in the country, recommends that its members do not require referrals from family doctors.
Except the reality is very different, acknowledges Lain Duheim, president of the association for Quebec. The requirement for healthcare professional referral forms is at the discretion of each institution.
There are still diets that require it. This is at the request of the employer or the union, which is an effective measure to control costs.
Report by Pierre-Alexandre Bolduc
On the other hand, the association says it has already standardized insurance company forms in the health sector. According to the organization, the problem is that the Ministry of Health does not use these forms in the health network.
If possible to standardize and further simplify, we offer full cooperation to the Minister. [de la Santé] and health professionals
Line supports Duhaime.
Dubey promises to solve the problem In a few months
After recently hitting the CNESST and CHSLD forms, the Quebec health minister wants to speed up the pace of reducing doctors' paperwork. He is aware of the problem and wants to resolve the situation quickly.
We are looking at the question of insurance, he said. This can be very important as insurance involves a lot of paperwork.
I'll give myself a few months to do that! No more than that.
Quebec Health Minister, Christian Dubey
Photo: Radio-Canada / Sylvain Roy Roussel
Minister Dubé recognizes that insurers have standardized their forms, but the digitization and computerization of the health network is not ready.
We have put a lot of money in this year's budget for the digital shift. This is a very, very good example of what we can do for doctors.
The minister recalled.
In a budget tabled on March 12, Quebec invested $902.5 million over five years to accelerate the digital transformation of the health network.
We can read as digitization Among other things, it will reduce the administrative burden on professionals so that they can devote more time to care and services.
.
He said doctors like Dr Pascal Renaud were not as optimistic as the health minister. They think it will take more than a few months for the changes to become reality.
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