(Montreal) Quebec begins testing the waters in its project to build two private mini-hospitals. The Department of Health and Human Services issued two calls for expressions of interest on Tuesday morning to hear suggestions from potential partners.
Posted at 10:55am
Ugo Giguere The Canadian Press
According to government plans, the first two private mini-hospitals are to be built in eastern Montreal and in the Capitale-Nationale region.
We also learn that the Montreal facility has an outpatient department specializing in geriatrics, while that of Quebec relies on an outpatient department specializing in pediatrics.
The two calls for interest published online in the Electronic Call for Tenders System (SEAO) are intended to “specify the general conditions, the clinical concept and the conditions of the project,” according to a press release announcing the steps.
It is also noted that meetings will be organized soon with interested applicants to answer their questions after reading the documents published online.
In a press release, Health Minister Christian Dubé described this first contact as a “significant step” towards his goal of improving access to frontline care.
Remember that the minister has entrusted the management of this project to his parliamentary assistant, Member of Parliament from Saint-Jérôme Youri Chassin. According to the latter, they want to “identify the conditions for success” that make it possible to “reconcile efficiency and innovation”.
Quebec reiterates that this private hospital project, whose care would be fully covered by the public network, is “one of the solutions” to “relieve the pressure on the healthcare network”.