Hudson Medical Centre Forced to Close Doors
A prominent medical clinic in Hudson has announced it will cease operations on April 1, directly blaming Quebec's new health-reform legislation, known as Bill 2, for making its continued operation impossible.
Doctors at the Hudson Medical Centre stated that new regulations under the law have created "unacceptable" working conditions and rendered the family medicine group (GMF) "no longer sustainable as a business." The decision comes after three of the clinic's seven physicians decided to leave the province entirely due to the legislative changes.
Impact on Patient Care and Community
The clinic, which serves approximately 11,000 patients, expressed devastation at being forced to close an institution that has served the Hudson and surrounding communities for many years. In a Facebook announcement, the physicians emphasized their long-standing commitment to "thoughtful, safe, relationship-based patient-centred care."
They argued that Bill 2 fundamentally undermines this approach. "It dictates how many patients a doctor must see, how quickly, how often, and under conditions that do not allow the time or attention patients need and deserve," the doctors wrote.
The physicians took a firm stand on quality, stating, "We cannot, and will not, provide rushed or unsafe care. Our patients deserve better than that."
The Broader Implications of Bill 2
This closure is not an isolated incident. Since the Quebec government rushed Bill 2 into law in late October, several clinics across the province serving hundreds of thousands of patients have indicated they will likely face similar fates.
The legislation, which comes into effect on January 1, enforces a new payment model on doctors. The provincial government contends these measures are necessary to provide access to care for the 1.5 million Quebec residents without a family doctor.
However, the medical community argues that the law will drastically cut physician wages and severely limit the time they can dedicate to each patient, compromising the quality of healthcare delivery.
Patients registered with the Hudson clinic will receive notices from their family doctors in the coming weeks, advising them on whether their physician will continue practicing elsewhere or not.
