Quebec's health minister has a new way for you to sign up to get a GP, especially if your doctor is retiring.
A massive registration will take place every July to pair up patients with new family doctors starting their practice in September.
"Yes, in that respect it is a fast track," said Gaetan Barrette at a news conference in Quebec City.
"A change in methodology to assign, enroll a group, a cohort of patients to a given doctor."
Barrette said this new system is a change in culture that will "guarantee access to a new doctor when the old doctor retires."
The health minister added this doesn't mean new money and doesn't change the patient-quota law Bill 20, just the way they're assigning patients and new doctors.
Barrette said an average of 225 general practitioners retire annually with about 413 newcomers entering the healthcare system.
Barrette is counting on doctors to advise them in advance about their pending retirement for this new system to work.
"We want to match the biggest chunk of that capacity in July, to match those who are arriving and those who are leaving," said Barrette.
As for those already waiting for a doctor:
"The more than 460,000 already listed in our bank will be allotted. As we speak. Right away," said Barrette.
Vulnerable patients still get priority. They make up about 7% of those still on the waiting list.
Barrette said around 915,000 Quebecers now have a family doctor.