The MUHC under the microscope of the AMP for a $53 million private contract

A five-year contract to privately subcontract thousands of hours of surgeries is subject to verification by the Public Procurement Authority (AMP ).

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The MUHC says it has awarded the $53 million contract to the owner of 1506, avenue du Docteur-Penfield.

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After soliciting suppliers to entrust various surgeries to the private sector, the McGill University Health Center (MUHC) recently disqualified bidders because they did not hold their Accreditation Canada accreditation.

Accreditation is a process of evaluating health and social service organizations to determine what is working well and what needs improvement.

This is a guarantee of quality that we rely on to ensure adequate, safe and quality care, said MUHC spokesperson Évelyne Dufresne last week.

However, Radio-Canada has learned that the awarding of the $53 million contract raises questions, namely whether the specialized medical center (CMS) which obtained the contract holds or not its accreditation from Accreditation Canada.

The MUHC is currently collaborating with the Public Procurement Authority [AMP] as part of an audit concerning call for tenders CUSM 23-069, responded the MUHC spokesperson. During this period, the MUHC unfortunately cannot communicate information on this file.

The AMP's mission is to monitor all public contracts, in particular the compliance of the awarding and awarding processes of these contracts. It is also responsible for the Register of companies authorized to contract and subcontract (REA). In particular, it has the power to issue orders, make recommendations and suspend or terminate a contract.

According to information published on the system Electronic Calls for Tenders (SEAO), the MUHC awarded the contract to the company 9333-4837 Québec inc.

In the Quebec Business Register (REQ), the company is owned by the family trust of Doctor Gaby Doumit.

Open in full screen mode< p class="StyledImageCaptionLegend-sc-57496c44-2 fnSNjC">The Ville-Marie Surgery Institute is located at 1558 avenue du Docteur-Penfield in Montreal.

At the Ministry of Health, a CMS permit was issued in the name of the company 9333-4837 Québec inc. for the operation of the Ville-Marie Surgery Institute, located at 1558, avenue du Docteur-Penfield, in Montreal.

Or, on the Accreditation Canada website, we cannot find any accreditation linked to the address 1558, avenue du Docteur-Penfield, in Montreal.

There is, however, an accreditation linked to the CMS Center for Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery of Montreal, located a few steps away, at 1506, avenue du Docteur-Penfield. This address corresponds to another CMS permit number, which belongs to the same owner through the company Gaby D. Doumit M.D. inc.

However, Accreditation Canada specifies that approval is required for each location.

At the MUHC, Ms. Dufresne added in another email that we can confirm […] that we awarded a contract to the bidder who [operates] a CMS at 1506, Doctor-Penfield, after assessing his eligibility.

Several health establishments have been engaged since this summer in a shift intended to entrust the private sector with more than 600,000 medical interventions worth nearly $500 million over the next five years.

The MUHC is one of the rare establishments to require accreditation from Accreditation Canada.

More than 30 000 hours of surgery are planned over the next five years in connection with the call for tenders under the AMP microscope.

According to MUHC calculations, awarding the contract to the lowest bidders would have saved nearly $10 million.

In another call for offers for ophthalmology surgeries, the MUHC also excluded a supplier because it obtained from the AMP its authorization to contract for public contracts one week after the deadline for submitting tenders.

In this file, the lowest bidder would have resulted in savings of $19 million for the MUHC and two other health establishments.

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