FRAMPTON. What an unpleasant emotion, feeling vulnerable in front of a doctor. Sick, injured, worried, taken like single-use patients to be thrown away after use… At the Frampton regional solidarity services cooperative, Doctor Pierre Lemieux for his part advocates a more humane medicine.
Indeed, while the health system is experiencing various challenges, Pierre Lemieux speaks rather of a return to basics.
“There is a tendency to apply the big city model to small towns. But, in a large unit, the patient becomes anonymous. We are going down a path that is not good. It lacks humanity. It would be a disaster to take everyone and put them in a huge box,” he fears.
Mr. Lemieux pointed out here that this way of working sought by young people is good, while local clinics are not perfect. In any case, someone who is also the son of a doctor cannot abandon his love for simplicity and extraordinary work together with his secretary.
In addition, he knows full well that sick people appreciate when their doctor is close, both geographically and humanly.
“Human contact defuses a lot of things. People say to themselves: “They’re going to take care of me. » This is essential in primary care. When you're sick, the beautiful side of anonymous things, you don't want that anymore. You want to be listened to,” he said.
Little touches
Thus, it is by remaining true to himself that Dr. Lemieux has been able to win the hearts of his patients, so much so that he has already received little touches from them on a few occasions, such as maple syrup, chocolates, or even greeting cards.
“I don’t need that to be happy, but it feels good.” Above all, there is a bond of appreciation that cannot be explained in words. […] When I go to the bathroom, people almost come with me! “, he joked, adding that his patients often bring him something else without knowing it: recognition. “It's not always demanding and it's always rewarding! »
Generally, he will even take the time to discuss topics other than the disease with his patients. “It happens that people call me to tell me that they are going to be late because they haven't finished their errands… We don't see that in Quebec! »
Notice to his clients, the 68-year-old man intends to retire when he reaches 50 years of practice, that is to say in five or six years. “I’m like the Rolling Stones. The last tour, you never know when it will arrive! », he smiles.
