Who are we?

We are a specialized cardiology clinic since 2007 comprised of a cardiologist, a cardiac-specialized nurse, a secretary and a receptionist. We are situated in the heart of metropolitan Montreal near the St-Joseph Oratory. Our clinic has a welcoming and esthetic ambiance. Patients are referred by their doctor but they can also be self-referred. We give appointments within 15 days and if needed more rapidly. We try to answer the phone rapidly and do all we can to ensure that patients are seen on time.

Who pays what?

Until very recently, we accepted the health card for the medical visits. Of the tests that are performed at the clinic, only the electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) had to be paid for by patients. The other tests like the exercise test or ambulatory blood pressure and arrhythmia monitoring could be performed with no wait time at the clinic for certain fees or, if the patient preferred, they could be requested for free within the public sector. However, as of February 13, 2017, the clinic has become completely private, that is, the health card is no longer accepted;

Why has the clinic become private?

We did not choose to go private. The government has abolished ancillary fees. Under the public healthcare system, we no longer have the right to charge patients for any tests performed at the clinic. The government declared these must be free for patients and the clinic must instead charge the health system for patients’ tests. The problem with this is that the amounts that would have been reimbursed by the government for these tests are so small that the clinic could not survive; it could not cover its rent, the salaries of its personnel, it equipment and maintenance costs. The government forced the clinic to become completely private. Unfortunately, patients must now pay for their visits. The only other obligatory test at the clinic remains the electrocardiogram; for the other tests, patients can continue to choose to have them done at the clinic or requested in-hospital. More information about this change and the reasons for it can be found in the following articles published by our cardiologist in the major newspapers.

Globe & Mail   | La Presse | Montreal Gazette