Nurse practitioners to sub for MDs
If it’s true that 95% of the cases that come to a nurse practitioner clinic don’t need to see a doctor, then it’s good news that people waiting to get a doctor will now be sent to nurses instead.
Can we be sure of this or is it a politically convenient fiction? And is the next round of news stories going to be that it’s become difficult to see a nurse practitioner?
And would Christian Dubé be pleased to be told that he couldn’t have a doctor, but could see a nurse instead?
I mean no shade to nurse practitioners. I know it’s a valuable role. I’m not so sure about the CAQ using them to patch up holes in the Quebec medical system.
carswell 07:33 on 2024-04-12 Permalink
A modest proposal: Instead of giving politicians — especially ministers and, ahem, members of their family (see Legault’s mother or Boubou’s late wife for that matter) — access to gold-plated medical care, force them to rely only on the worst services available to to the general public.
As long as large portions of the populace have to wait up to seven years to get a general practitioner, no politician is allowed to have a general practitioner. All politicians, irrespective of rank, are prohibited from being moved to the top of the waiting lists. Ban politicians from using the private system too (actually, let’s ban the private system altogether.) Etcetera.
I can guarantee that politicians’ focus on solving the health care crisis would immediately become laser-like and solutions would be put in place far faster than will happen otherwise if they happen at all.
dwgs 09:22 on 2024-04-12 Permalink
Our GP retired several years ago. After a wait of three years or so we were contacted by a NP, who invited us to become her patients. I was hesitant at first but decided to agree and I’m very happy with the decision. She’s far better and more involved than our GP ever was.
I second Carswell’s proposal.
Ian 10:46 on 2024-04-12 Permalink
@carswell a similar intiative was undertaken at one place I worked where corporate decided VPs and lower management would not have a separate bathroom than the other employees – to ensure that all bathrooms were equally well-kept and laid out. Nicest bathrooms anywhere I ever worked.