Home doctor consultations in Quebec: why is this service rare in the public system?

As a family physician and medical director of French origin, I have had the opportunity to practice in two very different healthcare systems. In France, home doctor consultations are a common practice, but in Quebec, this service is limited within the public system to very specific situations. In this article, I want to explain why this model differs in Quebec and how our private clinic, Allodocteur.ca, attempts to fill this need by making home visits accessible to everyone, as they are in France.

Why are home consultations rare in the Quebec public system?

In Quebec, the public healthcare system is designed to optimize the use of medical resources, which are limited due to a shortage of physicians and other healthcare professionals. Home visits are therefore reserved for the most vulnerable patients, often those with severe loss of autonomy, such as:

• Elderly people who can no longer travel due to their health condition.

• Palliative care patients requiring medical follow-up at home.

• Certain specific cases of severely disabled patients.

Another important reason is related to physician remuneration in the public system. Indeed, for non-vulnerable patients, a home consultation is paid at the same rate as an office consultation. This means that physicians working under the RAMQ (Quebec health insurance) regime have no financial incentive to offer this service. Considering the additional time required for travel and the necessary logistical organization, most public system physicians choose to concentrate their efforts on office or hospital consultations.

The French model: a striking contrast

In France, general practitioners commonly offer home visits, even for less complex health cases. This practice is facilitated by:

• A dense network of general practitioners distributed across the territory.

• Specific and higher remuneration for home consultations.

• A tradition rooted in community-based medicine.

This accessibility contributes to faster follow-up and prevents patients from having to go to overcrowded clinics. This model fosters a more direct and less stressful patient-physician relationship.

Allodocteur.ca: a private service inspired by the French model

At Allodocteur.ca, we have drawn inspiration from this model to offer accessible and rapid home consultations. Our home consultations are private, outside of RAMQ, and are therefore not covered by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). This allows us to offer flexible and fast services without the constraints of the public system.

Our goal is simple: to reduce delays and make family medicine more human and closer, by offering home visits with physicians registered with the Collège des médecins du Québec (CMQ). Our patients can benefit from medical consultations on the same day, without having to wait several days for an appointment.

This service is open to everyone, whether for one-time care or medical follow-up. It also helps avoid unnecessary travel for people with young children, busy schedules, or particular constraints.

Why choose Allodocteur.ca?

• A private and flexible service: Our home consultations are not covered by RAMQ, which allows us to provide fast and personalized access.

• Competitive pricing: We apply rates comparable to those of an office consultation, which helps democratize home consultations for everyone, without distinction.

• Increased accessibility: Our extended hours, including weekends, allow us to meet urgent needs.

• Easy appointment booking: Whether online or by phone, our patients can easily book a home consultation.

• A humanized service: Our physicians take the necessary time for each consultation, mirroring the French model.

Conclusion

Home consultations for non-vulnerable patients are not offered in the Quebec public system due to logistical and financial constraints, notably the lack of adapted remuneration for physicians under RAMQ. However, at Allodocteur.ca, we offer this private service outside of RAMQ, applying rates equivalent to office consultations, as is done in France.

For a fast, accessible, and human alternative, book your appointment now on Allodocteur.ca.

Allodocteur.ca: making family medicine closer, one home at a time.