The General Directorate of Health published a press release on February 21 to highlight the progress of the national plan for the prevention and fight against Lyme disease and tick-borne diseases in the three years since it was put in place. The main topic of the meeting was the state of the current patient care journey and advances in research on these diseases.
Since the beginning of this Plan, five reference centers for treating tick-related diseases have been dedicated. These are the CHU of Clermont-Ferrand associated with that of St Etienne, the CHU of Marseille, that of Rennes, the CHU of Strasbourg associated with the CHU of Nancy, the Intermunicipal Hospital Group of Villeneuve-Saint-Georges associated with the CHU of Creteil.
When they were appointed, the patient associations were concerned: experts from almost all of these centers (except Créteil) were opposed to the diagnostic and care protocol for Lyme pathology established by the HAS, in 2018. And more specifically on polymorphic persistent syndrome (PTPS), which they deny. Complicated therefore to apply the recommendations of the HAS without agreeing on the protocol… On this subject, which had been debated during the election of these five centers, the progress report of February 21 says nothing .
A care pathway at all levels of the territory for patients
Concretely, in these reference centers, a care pathway has been set up to compensate for the medical wandering of patients affected by diseases linked to tick bites so far. Several scales of care are thus managed: very closely with outpatient medicine, at the regional level with reception in day hospitals and at the interregional level for the most complex cases. A real networkto ensure consistent patient care across the country“notes the press release.
If the course of care has improved, from an organizational point of view, on French territory concerning Lyme disease, research still lacks means and structure, underlines the General Directorate of Health. Restructuring efforts still need to be put in place, right from the financing stage. About this meeting, the patient associations did not react.
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