Need to quickly find a doctor? The Ministry of Health is launching a national telephone number “for access to the permanence of ambulatory care”: 116 117. A decree published on July 24, 2016 in Official newspaperspecifies that this number should be set up within the next six months, no later than January 24, 2017. This non-emergency medical service will put the caller in communication with a competent interlocutor who can provide him with medical advice or contact details of an available doctor in its geographical area.
Relieve congestion on 15, emergency number
The 116 117 should therefore facilitate access to a doctor close to where you are, especially when you are on vacation or want to consult a health professional. outside the usual opening hours of medical practices (evenings, weekends, holidays …). Currently, it is advisable to dial 15, the emergency number, to find a nearby doctor on call. The 116 117 should make it possible to unclog this telephone line and thus better respond to vital emergencies, but also to harmonize practices: when some regional health agencies (ARS) recommend calling the 15, others have implemented their own medical on-call number. On a larger scale, the 116 117, already effective in Germany and Great Britain, should soon be implemented in all the countries of the European Union. In France, the 15th will remain reserved for medical emergencies.
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