How Quebec physicians can save 13 hours a month on RAMQ billing

Key takeaways

1. Saved time allows room for better care and work-life balance: Hours freed from administrative work go toward patients, care teams, practice development, or personal time.
2. Unlocked hours lead to greater practice revenue: Physicians redirect billing hours toward patient care and new programs while improving their practice’s efficiency.
3. RAMQ billing technology removes repetitive work: Automated workflows and billing expertise simplify tasks that are demanding to manage manually.

Time is among a Quebec physician’s most valuable resources. But RAMQ billing responsibilities aggressively compete for it.

Based on findings from an independent study commissioned by Petal:

• Physicians using its medical billing technology, such as Xacte by Petal, saved an average of 161 hours annually—approximately 13 hours every month—with those hours carrying an estimated annual value of $24,123.
  • That’s an average revenue increase of 9.4%.

In Canada, 75% of physicians report that unnecessary administrative tasks worsen their job satisfaction. Physicians also reported spending an average of 10.4 hours each week on administrative work.

What could happen if some of those hours came back?

Billing is one piece of that burden. For Quebec physicians, the RAMQ billing cycle involves entering claims, validating information, reviewing account statements, monitoring payments, correcting refused claims, and keeping up with billing requirements.

Let’s explore how a Quebec physician could put those 13 hours to use.

Connecting with patients and staff: 5 hours 

Five extra hours provides valuable breathing room during a busy month.

More time with patients gives physicians an opportunity to make appointments feel less rushed. During those meetings, patients have greater space to ask questions, while physicians explain recommendations more thoroughly.

Those hours also strengthen coordination among care teams. Physicians have additional time to follow up on test results and close referral loops while communicating these updates faster to team members.

Their experience also gives physicians plenty to contribute beyond direct patient care. Saved time supports:

• Mentoring residents or junior physicians
• Teaching medical students
• Participating in clinical committees
• Supporting the onboarding of new staff

Impact illustrated: A physician who usually stops seeing patients to complete billing tasks at the end of the day uses part of that time for an additional appointment or team discussion.

Exploring new program opportunities: 3 hours 

A full patient schedule leaves little space to consider what a practice could do differently.

Three reclaimed hours per month give physicians room to examine new programs, or partnerships that both fulfill patient needs and strengthen their practice.

Possibilities include:

1. Group programs, such as prenatal education sessions, chronic disease workshops, or mental health support groups.
2. Partnerships with academic institutions or public health organizations supporting ongoing research.
3. Early-intervention services addressing unmet community needs, including family counselling or substance-use prevention.

Impact illustrated: A physician uses available planning time to assess demand for weekly prenatal education sessions. The clinic discovers the program is feasible, giving patients another source of support while creating an additional opportunity for funded care.

Advancing professional or practice development: 3 hours 

Medicine keeps evolving. So does the work required to run an effective practice.

In this domain, physicians dedicate reclaimed time to reviewing clinical guidelines, following emerging research, completing professional development, or contributing their expertise to new initiatives.

At the practice level, those hours go toward:

• Reviewing workflows
• Identifying bottlenecks in intake
• Evaluating administrative processes
• Considering technological solutions

There is a personal benefit as well. Fitting professional development into the working week leaves evenings and weekends clearer for everything else.

Impact illustrated: A physician is invited to participate in an ethics committee's guideline-development work. Previously, billing responsibilities made the commitment unrealistic. With additional time available each month, participating becomes possible.

Also see: How to choose a RAMQ billing solution

Relaxing with family and friends: 2 hours

Not every reclaimed hour needs to return to the practice.

In late 2025, 46% of Canadian physicians reported high burnout. The same research found physicians were spending an average of 10.4 hours per week on administrative tasks.

Giving even two hours back to life outside medicine matters.

That could mean an uninterrupted dinner, an evening with friends, exercise, a hobby, or simply finishing the workday when it’s supposed to end.

Impact illustrated: A physician frequently spends Thursday evenings reviewing billing issues and refused claims. A more efficient RAMQ workflow reduces that administrative workload, freeing an evening for dinner with family.

How Xacte saves time on RAMQ billing

You only have 24 hours in a day. Free as many as you can from RAMQ billing burden.

For Quebec physicians, Xacte by Petal combines specialized RAMQ billing technology with Quebec-based expertise.

Physicians gain access to features and services including:

• Real-time claim validation
• Mobile and web access
• Personalized onboarding
• Automatic procedure validation
• Streamlined RAMQ billing workflows

Thirteen hours each month present plenty of possibilities. Spend them seeing patients, strengthening your practice, developing your career, or simply getting home earlier.

FAQs: Saving time on RAMQ billing 

How much time can physicians save with medical billing technology?

Petal's independent study found that physicians using its billing technology saved an average of 161 hours annually. That equals approximately 13 hours per month.

Why does RAMQ billing take physicians so much time?

RAMQ billing continues after a claim is entered. Physicians may need to validate claim information, submit claims, review RAMQ account statements, identify refused or modified claims, make corrections, monitor payments, and stay current with applicable billing requirements.

How can RAMQ billing software save time?

Dedicated billing software can streamline claim entry, automate validation, centralize claim information, and make refusals and payment follow-up easier to identify and manage. Some solutions also provide access to billing experts.

Can reducing billing administration increase physician revenue?

Petal's study found that physicians using its billing technology reported an average revenue increase of 9.4% compared with manual billing. Results will vary by physician and practice.

How does Xacte support Quebec physicians with RAMQ billing?

Xacte by Petal combines RAMQ billing software with Quebec-based medical billing expertise. Its offering includes real-time claim validation, personalized onboarding, mobile and web access, and support from an experienced team of Quebec billing professionals.