Quebecers on heart surgery waiting list are dying, association sees

“It's difficult to accept,” says Dr. Bernard Cantin of Quebec Cardiologists as heart surgery waiting list patients are dying due to lack of resources. Tehosterihens Deer reports.

The lack of perfusionists in Quebec puts those on heart surgery waiting lists at risk as experts say more and more patients are dying.

“Our main concern of course is our patients, it’s difficult to accept that we get such a death rate,” said Dr. Bernard Cantin, President of Quebec Cardiologists.

“It’s hard to accept, our concern is really with the patients,” he said.

Quebec patients waiting for heart surgery are dying at an alarming rate due to lack of resources, that’s what experts and the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Association have revealed in a census they conducted.

They say within the past fifteen months, between 67 and 79 patients have died while waiting for heart surgery due to the lack of perfusionists in the province to perform an operation.

Chart on heart surgery waiting list death rate in the province. (Dr. Bernard Cantin, of Quebec Cardiologists)

A perfusionist, is a cardiovascular health professional who operates the equipment that temporarily replaces or supports a patient’s heart and lung during surgery.

With only 70 of them in the province, there’s room for 85 and of those professionals, 25 are over the age of 50 and close to retirement.

The shortage – linked to out-of-province salaries – which are 50 per cent more compared to Quebec, and poor working conditions.

“The difference in salaries in other provinces and here is astronomical,” said Dr. Cantin.

The association sounded the alarm on this once they carried out the survey, after hearing that a dozen deaths were linked to a single establishment.

Dr. Cantin says this pressing matter is not acceptable.

“We were really, really surprised we didn’t think that it was that much,” he said. “We were really, really surprised, what happens with these patients is that all these procedures and everything what we’re working against in cardiology is sudden death.”

Patient advocate Paul Brunet says these stats are terrifying, urging the government and specialized doctors to come to an agreement.

“You can ask for more money, you can ask for all of what you want, but at the end of the day the ministry and the specialists have one mission,” Brunet said. “[To] make sure that these patients are treated well, adequately and get surgery.”

On Thursday, The Fédération des médecins spécialisé du Québec (FMSQ) denounced Quebec’s $1.5 billion health care network deficit.

FMSQ president Dr. Vincent Oliva at a press conference in Montreal on Dec. 5, 2024. (Karol Dahl, CityNews)

“For us, you know, to address the proficient issues is important, but we cannot bear any more cuts,” said Brunet. “This is outrageous.”

“This is an open bar to a lot of disaster,” he added.

In a statement to CityNews, the office of Quebec’s health minister said, “We will review the data from the cardiovascular surgeons’ union. One thing is clear: we too are very concerned about surgical waiting lists and we are making every effort to reduce them. Our goal is to improve access for patients. Now, let us remember that we are in a negotiation period and we invite the specialist physicians’ union to discuss the renewal of the framework agreement at the negotiating table.”

However, Dr. Cantin says, they need to shorten the time to access the surgery.

“It’s our big problem in cardiology. It’s really a big problem.”

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today