While the health network is creaking everywhere and having to tighten its belts, 324 doctors earned more than $1 million last year, an absolute record.
It is a general surgeon who pocketed the highest income in Quebec in 2023, with nearly $3 million. This is an absolute record, show data from the Régie de l’assurance santé du Québec (RAMQ) compiled since 2014.
Top 5 highest paid doctors in 2023:
- General surgeon: $2,939,413
- General practitioner: $2,429,301
- Internist: $2,419,523
- Ophthalmologist: $2,292,113
- Radiologiste: 2 146 042$
Note: the identities of doctors are kept confidential by RAMQ.
The number of millionaire doctors has almost doubled since 2014, when there were 166, reveals data consulted by The Journal.
“We are worried. It is not because income has increased that the quantity of care has increased, reacts the Dre Isabelle Leblanc, president of the group of Quebec doctors for the public plan. If the system improved, it would be less disturbing than at the moment.”
The $2 million milestone
In 2023, eight doctors were paid more than $2 million, three more than in 2022. Their identity is kept confidential by RAMQ, which pays the doctors.
“There has been no increase in prices related to medical procedures in Quebec in recent years. So if a doctor earns more, it also means that he has given more care to his patients,” writes Pâris Psychogyios, spokesperson for the Federation of Specialist Physicians of Quebec (FMSQ).
This income includes all doctor billing: procedures, packages, distance bonuses, etc. However, they do not count the amounts earned privately by professionals who disaffiliate from the RAMQ, such as to carry out operations or telemedicine.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, up to 30% of doctors’ income is used to pay office or equipment costs. According to the FMSQ, these fees can even reach 70% and have increased significantly with inflation.
According to the Dre Leblanc, these data clearly show that fee-for-service payment is problematic.
“It’s certain that these doctors work very hard. But do they work harder than others? Not necessarily, says the family doctor. Do they organize their practice more based on remuneration than on quality of care? It’s a possible hypothesis.”
In 2023-2024, health establishments recorded a deficit of $1 billion, revealed The Journal. Last week, the president and CEO of Santé Québec, Geneviève Biron, mentioned that establishments will have to cut to return to balanced budgets, but without reducing patient care.
Once again, the vast majority of millionaire doctors are specialists. Radiologists come in first, with 111 professionals reporting more than $1 million in income. This represents 19% of all these specialists.
Number of millionaire doctors by specialty
- Diagnostic Radiology 111
- Ophthalmology 71
- General practitioner 42
- Cardiology 32
- General surgery 13
Among general practitioners, the number of millionaires jumped in one year, going from 26 to 42.
“This is far from the norm. Some doctors are hard workers. These are exceptional people who work an incredible number of hours,” reacts Stéphane Gosselin, spokesperson for the Federation of General Practitioners of Quebec.
The two doctors’ unions are currently negotiating with the government for a new employment contract. The number of millionaires remains marginal compared to the total number of doctors in Quebec (22,479). Their income represents approximately 15% of the health budget in Quebec.
In 2022, the FMSQ ordered an actuarial analysis to cap the income of millionaire doctors, but ultimately did not find the right way to limit income without harming medical procedures.
Number of millionaire doctors by specialty
- Diagnostic Radiology 111
- Ophthalmology 71
- General practitioner 42
- Cardiology 32
- General surgery 13
- Anesthesiology 7
- Psychiatry 6
- Plastic surgery 5
- Internal medicine 5
- Orthopedic surgery 4
- Radio-oncology 4
- Obstetrics and gynecology 3
- Pneumology 2
- Hematology 2
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation 2
- Neurosurgery 2
- Neurology 2
- Otolaryngology 2
- Allergy and clinical immunology 1
- Pathology 1
- Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery 1
- Dermatology 1
- Gastroenterology 1
- Geriatrics 1
- Nephrology 1
- Pediatrics 1
- Urology 1
- Total : 324
Number of millionaire doctors per year
- 2023 : 324
- 2022 : 267
- 2021 : 294
- 2020 : 203
- 2019 : 278
- 2018 : 276
- 2017 : 238
- 2016 :195
- 2015 : 202
- 2014 : 166
Source: RAMQ
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