The strike announced by liberal doctors on this “Black Friday” day should disrupt access to patient care. But solutions are put in place to limit the inconvenience.
Doctors want to shout out their dissatisfaction with the health law, but without penalizing patients too much. Several devices are set up this Friday to meet the needs of patients, during “Black Friday”, the day of strike for liberal medicine and private clinics.
Medical appointments already made with the attending physician will be postponed and patients must already be notified. But to respond to patient demand on the same day, the call centers 15 will constitute the centerpiece of the system.
As the first point of contact for patients in the event of the closure of their medical practice, they should refer them to the nearest healthcare professional or provide them with initial advice.
Less than a holiday
To help them, the number of general practitioners on call should be increased in most regions. For example, in Rhône-Alpes, a reinforcement of generalist regulators is planned, on a voluntary basis. Dr Pierre-Yves Dubien, emergency physician in Lyon and deputy head of the SAMU 69 service, who coordinates the operation of the Rhône center 15, explains that they will be able to count on the support of an additional doctor on call. Normally, patients who call are referred to two regulating general practitioners. A third will be in place this Friday.
Numbers which remain lower than those on public holidays and weekends, where five doctors are at the disposal of the center 15. While the strike on Friday will be like a public holiday in terms of closures of the practice, the three doctors may therefore have a lot to do.
Dr Dubien “recognizes that hospital emergencies could be very busy, but believes that this device will limit the damage.
In addition, the medical centers on call will be open at the usual times, at least in the Paris region and in the Rhône-Alpes, and all shifts will be insured.
Pierre-Yves Dubien, emergency physician in Lyon and deputy head of the SAMU 69 service: “Usually, we have two generalist regulators. There will be the possibility of calling on us for advice … “
SOS Doctors on strike
Another favorable element according to Dr. Dubien, the weather is lenient, and the absence of a major epidemic of influenza or gastroenteritis. “If that had been the case, there, the strike could have been a disaster ”, underlines this professional.
Pierre-Yves Dubien : “We are not too worried, and we think we will be able to absorb the excess calls. Sutout we are lucky, we do not fall into a period of winter epidemic … “
Despite this apparent calm, the center 15 could be quickly overwhelmed, because it will not be able to count on the support of SOS Doctors. The strike movement must indeed be followed until 8 p.m. this Friday by the organization, according to the instructions issued at the national level. On the other hand, the usual permanence of care, at night and on weekends, should be provided by SOS doctors, which does not push the strike beyond Friday evening.
Requisition by ARS in clinics
If public hospitals should operate normally, private clinics have joined the movement, announcing their intention to strike, via a press release from the Federation of Private Hospitalization (FHP). The emergency department and maternity wards will nevertheless continue to operate.
“ Longer waiting times are to be expected in emergencies. But the regional health agencies will be able to requisition doctors, to ensure the continuity of the public service, in particular if certain services are overwhelmed ”, explains a spokesperson for the FHP, contacted by Why actor.
All non-emergency operations scheduled for Friday in private clinics have been postponed by the striking doctors. However, the FHP says it is unable at this stage to determine how many patients are affected by these postponements of intervention.
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