In selecting Our MUHC’s Top 5 articles of 2015, it became evident that 2015 was basically a disappointing year. Despite positive stories such as the,’Miracle Operation at the MUHC’, the majority of the news coverage was negative.

The Top 5 could easily have been a Top 10 list, but the decision was made to keep the list to 5 articles, in the hope that the reader will have the time to read them.  These articles have one thing in common, they all read stranger than fiction and seem to defy logic.

Number 5 on the list, from January 28, (Montreal Gazette)  is unbelievable but true. With a growing and aging population the government wants to reduce the number of specialists by 83 and MUHC operating budget by 15 per cent.

Ignoring the changing demographics the Quebec government insists on respecting a 2007 plan that would reduce the number of specialists working at the MUHC.

This is the same plan the government is using to cut by 15 per cent the MUHC operating budget, which could reduce the number of beds from 883 to 707.

Porter was at the helm of the MUHC when the 2007 plan was accepted.  Arron Derfel writes, ..”the obvious question that springs to mind is whether Porter purposely lowballed MUHC clinical projections in 2007 to secure approval for the superhospital.

View the articles: ‘How did the MUHC end up with 83 fewer specialists’

Number 4 on the list, is from August 25, MUHC superhospital doesn’t have cellphone service. The construction materials used to build the hospital are blocking cellphone signals inside the buildings, meaning reception is spotty or non-existent in many places. According to Le Journal de Québec the cause is a film that was installed on the windows.

To remedy the problem, the MUHC will install some 700 antennas throughout the hospital to enhance the signal. The MUHC is not saying how much it will cost, but it is in the millions of dollars.

View the article:  MUHC superhospital doesn’t have cellphone service