LASALLE — A 57-year-old man has stopped using his heart medication in an effort to send a message to the provincial health ministry to improve the family doctor situation.
Glenn Wright, 57, has had three heart attacks — one in 2001, another in 2005 and a third one in 2007. For the past year-and-a-half he said he had to get his prescription filled at clinics. Now he’s fed up.
“Hopefully before it’s too late they’ll get me a family doctor.”
Wright said “I’ve completely gone off my heart medication — there are five medications I take, I’m not taking them anymore.”
In an email a spokesperson for the provincial health ministry declined to comment, but added that no one should stop taking their medications in the manner Wright has.
Dr. Mitch Shulman said he understands: “I just wish there was another way.”
“I understand the anger, the frustration, the feeling of not having anything else to be able to do,” he said.
Shulman added a regular family doctor was important because “you do need someone to see you on a regular basis.”
About one out of every five Quebecers has a family doctor, something Health Minister Gaetan Barrette hoped to correct in April when he unveiled a web portal designed to match patients to doctors.
READ MORE: New online tool aims to help Quebecers find family doctors
According to Wright, the portal isn’t effective. He’s demanding another solution, but is cynical about how fast that can happen.
“If it moves at political speed I haven’t got a chance,” he said.