A premium of$ 66 for each patient in isolation

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Eric Yvan Lemay

Wednesday, 24 January 2018 01:00

UPDATE
Wednesday, 24 January 2018 01:00

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Quebec has paid nearly $ 8 million in the past three years for an extra 65,95 $ touch specialists in internal medicine every time they care for a patient in isolation suffering from a contagious disease such as the flu or gastro.

Although it exists since a few years, this premium is also not well known in the world of health care and in the general public that the controversial bonus for attendance, which allows specialists to win 105 $ each time that they arrive on time in the morning for a surgical procedure.

Unveiled by our Bureau of investigation in December, the measure had prompted a public outcry and prompted professionals to denounce what they call ” the package cover “.

This bonus allows specialists to touch 65,95 $ every time they put on gloves, mask and jacket to see a patient isolated. It adds to the amount of 83,10 $ paid for the consultation base.

Other workers of the health network who are not entitled to any bonus and to clothe in the same way denounced the ” preferential treatment “.

Specialists in internal medicine are those who are involved in the care of hospitalized patients, especially those with multiple health problems.

• The supplement that is paid to see the patients in isolation is an average of about 5600 $ per year.

• The bonus is paid to physicians whose average wage amounted to $ 447,000 in 2015-2016.

• According to the RAMQ data, nine specialists in internal medicine have exceeded a million dollars in compensation in 2016.

More heavy

Photo courtesy asmiq.org

Mario Dallaire
Doctor

For Dr. Mario Dallaire, president of the Association of specialists in internal medicine, this premium 65,95 $ is justified by the heaviness of the case.

“When the hospital will see patients in isolation, we consider that they are going to see more heavy, which often take more time “, he says.

Dr. Dallaire said that this surcharge was added to the remuneration of its members in the context of salary increases granted in 2009, while Gaétan Barrette was president of the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec.

Change each and every time

For each patient in isolation, the doctor must wash hands, wear gloves, a gown and a mask before entering the room. It will remove all those protective clothing before running out of the room.

According to Mario Dallaire, this supplement may be charged only once per week for each patient. Monitoring visits, which take place every day, are not entitled to a ” pass cover “.

In addition, some physicians do not charge systematically.

“The average doctors think more to treat the world to fill in their invoice,” said Dr. Dallaire.

The specialist adds that he would not be surprised that the government has paid out less money than it anticipated at the time of establishing the premium.

♦ At the beginning, the amount paid was $ 50 per patient in isolation. It has since been increased to 65,95 $.

The cost of the “pass cover” each year

• 2017 * : $2.3 million
• 2016: 2,72 million $
• 2015: 2,76 million $

*The amount paid for the year 2017 is not complete, since the doctors have 90 days to send their invoice.

The trade unions in the health cry out at the injustice

The supplement paid to physicians for seeing patients in isolation bothers the nurses and orderlies, who do not receive a penny more when they have to mingle with contagious patients.

“This is really a two weights, two measures. If the attendants were asking for it, they would laugh at us. They [doctors] are the only ones who can ask it, ” said Jeff Begley, president of the Federation of health and social services of the CSN.

According to Mr. Begley, this proves that there is a group that is more privileged than others in the public sector. It is estimated that this is probably related to the fact that physicians are negotiating for years with ministers and doctors.

“The next time [negotiating], require to do with a nurse “, says the one who also represents of the nursing staff.

Not the same rights

The president of the FIQ, Nancy Bédard, was not aware that some doctors had the right to ” pass cover “. According to her, the nurses do not have the same rights as doctors although they are exposed to the same level of risk.

It considers that the remuneration of doctors is so complex that it allows you to pour smoothly out of such premiums.

“There is little transparency. It is difficult to know in detail the remuneration of doctors. Is this the intent, that you can’t find it ? ” asks she.

The president also believes that the argument of the heaviness of the case does not hold the road. She recalls that her organization asked for one year a recognition of the heaviness of the case.

“There is leeway for doctors, but not for us. I would like it that the minister to come on the field with us, ” she concludes.