Quebec's digital health record adds to a doctor exodus at a Victoriaville hospital

General practitioners who left

9 in four months

Nine general practitioners have left the Hôtel-Dieu d'Arthabaska hospital in Victoriaville, Quebec, in four months, and the team has fallen from 21 doctors to 12.

Dr. Ève Bétit, the ninth to resign, blames the rollout of the Dossier santé numérique in part, saying it adds steps and prescriptions do not always reach pharmacies. She says staff shortages and government demands also played a part.

Santé Québec confirmed the departures but declined to link them to the digital record, saying doctors leave for various reasons.

Filling in a patient file

30 minutes, twice as long

Internist Dr. Alyson Baker says filling in a patient's file now takes about 30 minutes, twice as long as before, though the software is getting easier to use.