FMSQ / Structure

Head Office

The FMSQ’s Head Office is responsible for ensuring the implementation of all federation decisions and the sound management of the organization. Located in Montreal, it employs some 40 employees who work in seven departments:

• Economic Affairs
• Legal Affairs
• Professional Affairs
• Public Affairs and Communications
• Analysis and Fee Planning
• Professional Development / Health Policies
• Administrative Services
• Actuarial Services and Information Technology
  

Economic Affairs

At the Heart of Negotiations

Dr. Gilles Robert Director

 

The FMSQ must be able to rely on reliable data and analyses when negotiating with the Ministère de la Santé. The task of preparing documents that will be used to support the FMSQ’s position falls to the Economic Affairs Department (EAD).

Economic Affairs is also responsible for compiling the fee schedule covering medical procedures, and implementing the monetary distribution policy with respect to the 34 associations affiliated with the FMSQ. It therefore remains in constant contact with representatives of each of the associations. It also has close ties with individual members of the FMSQ who need to clarify certain aspects of the fee provisions contained in the Master Agreement or to resolve billing or payment problems with the Régie de l’assurance-maladie du Québec.

Main Activities

Negotiations: Medical specialists’ remuneration, average gross income and ceiling overruns, productivity, professional liability insurance, negotiations with the MSSS, parallel agreements.

 

Implementation of the Framework Agreement: Explanations of the provisions contained in the Agreement, billing problems, applications for review, Conciliation Committee, medical services for which fees have not been set.

Fees: Drawing up wording and fees, cost calculations, FMSQ-MSSS-RAMQ Technical Committee meetings, specific requests received from associations.

Distribution of Money Supply: Income updates, implementation of the distribution policy, Conciliation Committees with associations.

E-mail: aff.economiques@fmsq.org

Legal Affairs

A Nerve Centre

Me. Sylvain Bellavance Director

 

The Legal Affairs Department has two distinct areas of responsibility within the FMSQ: to negotiate agreements and to manage legal matters.

The first area mainly concerns the negotiation of agreements with the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec regarding payment of medical services rendered by medical specialists under the Health Insurance Act. These agreements are reached through a process of ongoing negotiations which involves not only general negotiations every three or four years, but also the regular negotiations that take place every month in order to agree upon the implementation of specific solutions to problems that have been identified. Negotiating agreements also involves other government bodies such as the CSST, SAAQ and RRQ concerning expert opinions issued by medical specialists on their behalf.

The management of legal matters entails the ongoing management of all dossiers that have or are likely to have legal repercussions for the Federation. The Legal Affairs Department is also called upon to conduct or supervise various disputes in which the Federation may be involved.

E-mail: aff.juridiques@fmsq.org

Professional Affairs

Personal Contact

Dr. Serge Lenis Director

 

The purpose of the Professional Affairs Department is to foster the practice of specialized medicine that conforms to government and institutional standards and is adapted to the needs of medical specialists and the requirements inherent in the delivery of optimal care. The Department’s mandates are to establish ways and means to identify medical specialists’ needs so that action can be taken regarding their conditions of practice and remuneration, and to set up and maintain files on the organization of medical services and conditions of practice. The Professional Affairs Department answers requests from medical specialists or representatives of the affiliated associations on a daily basis concerning the Master Agreement with the MSSS (letters of agreement and schedules), the Medical Act and the Code of Ethics. The Department plays an active role on the Specialized Medical Staffing Management Committee (comité de gestion des effectifs médicaux spécialisés), which evaluates staffing needs and promotes the distribution of medical specialists throughout Quebec in an endeavour to ensure the optimal organization of specialized medical services.

The Professional Affairs Department is also an important partner in the Quebec Physicians’ Assistance Program (Programme d’aide aux médecins du Québec), an organization that aids physicians faced with personal and dependency problems, and it takes part in early prevention programs. It also plays a role in the annual review of the three-year policy on registrations in medical training programs at the doctoral and postdoctoral levels.

E-mail: aff.professionnelles@fmsq.org

Public Affairs and Communications

A Priority

Nicole Pelletier, ARP Director

 

The goal of the Public Affairs and Communications Department (PACD) is to make a significant contribution to the strategic positioning of the Federation. The members and staff of the FMSQ are therefore its main focus, but it also targets those portions of the public affected by issues concerning specialized medicine. The aim of the PACD is to ensure that the contemporary image projected by the FMSQ is reflected in its communication tools.

Communications: A Matter of Information

The PACD regularly sends out information to FMSQ members so that they are aware of FMSQ policies, positions and activities, and can track the progress of the main dossiers. The Federation’s principal communication tool is its magazine, Le Spécialiste, which is sent out to all members of the FMSQ and medical residents. Together with Le Spécialiste, the FMSQ’S Internet site (www.fmsq.org) is a user-friendly meeting ground and is essentially informative. It carries news on FMSQ priorities and activities in virtually real time.

Public Affairs: To Know and Be Known

This function is more specifically directed towards publics outside the Federation. The PACD also keeps in regular touch with certain target areas, such as the media, government representatives and partners and organizations within the health field. The PACD is responsible for disseminating the Federation’s point of view on such current topics as medical specialists’ conditions of practice, access to health care and the organization of the health network in general.

 

E-mail: communications@fmsq.org

Analysis and Fee Planning

A Pivotal Department

Dre Michèle Drouin Director

 

The Analysis and Fee Planning Department, created in 2008, broadens the range of the Federation’s organization. The growing number of matters requiring consideration and the significance of the economic issues involved has led to an increase in resources dealing with this area

As well as supporting Economic Affairs in formulating fee schedules and applying distribution policies, the AFPD plays a strategic core role in the analysis and follow-up of economic information as a whole, working in conjunction with Actuarial Services and Information Technology.

It is also responsible for providing information and support concerning the deliberations and decisions taken by the Board of Directors regarding negotiations and the follow-up of distribution policies.

Its expertise enables it to carry out analyses that take into account the variables inherent in each specialty and their activities, the changes that occur in the various practice settings and the conditions currently imposed by the Quebec health system. The Department will maintain close and constant contact with the individual Associations and their representatives.

AFPD also provides support to the Board of Directors and its various committees with respect to matters that relate to the organization of health services or that have an impact on medical specialists’ conditions of practice.

 

E-mail: analyseetplanif@fmsq.org

Professional Development and Health Policies

For Quality Care

Dr Gilles Hudon, MD, FRCPC Director

 

The Professional Development Office promotes the maintenance of competence and the continuing professional development (CPD) of medical specialists who are members of the associations affiliated with the FMSQ.

Its ultimate objective is to contribute to the ongoing improvement of patient care by ensuring the quality of continuing medical education and the introduction of conditions that will facilitate this. The Office’s goal is therefore to:

• Ensure the training of those who organize educational activities by helping them to define their needs, establish objectives and assess the results of the educational activities;
• Support trainers in organizing events;
• Represent the FMSQ with regard to professional development;
• Keep abreast of CME developments and advise the associations accordingly.

Health Policies:

The Health Policies Department represents medical specialists when dealing with various parties and partners in the healthcare field with whom the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec interacts with regard to the planning and delivery of quality care in Quebec.

To learn more about the FMSQ’s Professional Development Office, please click here.

E-mail: odp@fmsq.org

Administrative Services

Vital Support

Julie Voiselle, CA Director

 

The Administrative Services Department is responsible for the smooth functioning of the daily activities of the FMSQ and its affiliated associations. It also looks after the financial health of the FMSQ. In addition, this department, which has the largest number of employees, is responsible for several activity sectors such as current operations, financial planning and accounting, human resources management, auxiliary services, documentation services and members’ services.

The Administrative Services Department works closely with the Treasurer of the FMSQ in preparing, implementing and following-up the operating budget. Its expertise and its role consist in supplying directors with all the information they need to make informed decisions.

E-mail: serv.adm@fmsq.org

Actuarial Services and Information Technology

Leading-edge Management

Isabelle Marchand, ASA Director

 

The Actuarial Services and Information Technology Department (ASITD) enables the FMSQ to manage and put the information it has to full use in defending the interests of medical specialists. It has two major responsibilities: information management and analysis.

ASITD develops and manages all the FMSQ’s information and data banks. These tools enable the many types of data used for negotiation purposes to be extracted, compiled and analyzed. Because of its expertise, ASITD can validate the effects of certain measures, agreements or changes, and perform a full actuarial analysis of them.

It goes without saying that ASITD provides both the FMSQ and its affiliated associations with leading-edge expertise in developing and maintaining computerized management systems, as well as computerized resources and tools.

E-mail: ti@fmsq.org