COVID-19: over 1.5 million Quebecers have consulted in telemedicine

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July 9, 2020 9h49

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COVID-19: over 1.5 million Quebecers have consulted in telemedicine

Stéphanie Marin

The Canadian Press

MONTREAL – More than a million and a half of Quebecers were consulted in telemedicine since the beginning of the pandemic COVID-19.

This new way of doing business – by telephone or videoconference – has had its followers since last march 16. The goal was to protect patients, such as physicians, of the risk of the spread of the coronavirus.

Thus, from 16 march to 8 June 2020, 6625 general practitioners have charged the acts of tele-consultation for more than one million patients in separate, according to figures obtained by The canadian Press through the Régie d’assurance-maladie du Québec (RAMQ).

On the side of doctors, specialists, 4565 of them were charged of acts of telemedicine, for more than 400 000 different patients.

In short, more than 11 000 doctors have made appointments this way, and 1 525 182 Quebec were consulted.

The number of consultations is likely to be higher. First of all, because the numbers for the month of June have not been compiled in, and also because the doctors now have 120 days before having to charge the RAMQ medical act.

According to a recent survey commissioned by the canadian medical Association (CMA), the overwhelming majority of Canadians who have consulted their doctor in a virtual way during the pandemic COVID-19 were satisfied with the experience.

They would, in fact, 91 % are satisfied with their experience with telemedicine, which is 17% more than those who visited in person to an emergency department, according to the stroke of the probe conducted by the firm Abacus Data in may and the results of which were announced in early June.

Le Soleil