PLQ requests commission to examine digital shift in health network

The Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) is requesting that the National Assembly’s Health and Social Services Committee examine the management of the digital shift within the healthcare system.

The PLQ submitted this request on Thursday, just before Santé Québec announced the suspension of two major projects related to its digital transition.

The government-owned corporation has paused its project to modernize payroll and purchasing management in the healthcare system, in addition to postponing the Digital Health Record for six months.

Santé Québec stated that the Financial and Procurement Information System and the Digital Health Record are two “pillars” of its digital transformation, but acknowledged that “the essential conditions for their success are currently no longer in place.”

According to the PLQ, the cost overruns already announced raise fears of “another fiasco of an even greater magnitude than SAAQclic.”

Liberal MNAs Marc Tanguay and Michelle Setlakwe were also concerned by comments made Thursday by Legault government ministers, who attempted to reassure the public about the digital transition in healthcare.

However, since the SAAQclic fiasco, several people working in the healthcare system have shared their concerns that a similar failure could also occur in healthcare.

“More than ever, it is imperative that we take the time to turn over all the stones of this immense digital transformation project before we are made to play a role in another fiasco,” argued Tanguay, the PLQ’s health critic, in a press release.

“Popular confidence has been seriously shaken.”

The Official Opposition wants the committee to hear from those responsible for these projects to assess “the measures put in place to avoid another fiasco,” as well as the extent of the projected cost overruns and delays.

She also wants the committee to assess the cohesion between experts from the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Affairs and Santé Québec.

“Since the CAQ has already glaringly demonstrated its incompetence in this area, it is perfectly normal to allow parliamentarians to question those responsible for these projects to avoid even more costly missteps,” Setlakwe insisted in writing.

“The pause in this immense project only adds to the concerns of Quebecers and confirms the relevance of our request for an initiative mandate,” argued the Liberal critic for cybersecurity and digital affairs.

The estimated costs for the Digital Health Record are $307 million. To date, $248 million has been spent, according to information made public on the Government of Quebec’s Information Resources Project Dashboard.

The Finance and Procurement Information System is expected to cost $430 million, of which just over $65 million has been spent so far.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews