Mr. Poirier, I would like to ask you a few questions about current disparities between the provinces.
In Quebec, there has been a longstanding fight to recognize certain medical acts. Ontario paramedics are allowed to perform certain medical procedures, while those in Quebec are not entitled to do so. There is a rather significant difference between the provinces in terms of the medical procedures that may be performed by paramedics.
I would also like you to talk about that kind of independence regarding assessment. I am a nurse and I was still working until January, before my pregnancy. Paramedics would regularly arrive at the hospital with patients and say that although these people did not need to go to emergency, they had no choice but to take them there.
Is there a way for you to assess patients and provide guidance by telling them that they do not need to go to the hospital's emergency department as their condition does not warrant it, while providing some advice? Would it be possible to make this part of your practice?
I have a technical question. Medical assistants in the Regular Force take the same study program at Collège Ahuntsic as civilian paramedics do, but not medical assistants in the Reserves. Would it be a good idea to find a way to incorporate them into your profession after they have completed their military careers?
Those are all the questions I have for you, Mr. Poirier.
I will now turn to Ms. Guitard.
I would like to talk about access to occupational therapy. Often in the health system, a medical referral is required for access to occupational therapy services. We need to have something happen and then go to a doctor, who will give us a referral. We are then put on a waiting list and eventually see an occupational therapist.
Would not it make more sense to make it possible for a person to directly ask to be assessed by an occupational therapist or other health care professional, such as a nurse, and enable these professionals to give a referral and determine whether it would be appropriate for this person to be assessed by an occupational therapist, thus preventing injury?