Les Visités
« Ils ne font plus de visites ! ». Cette petite phrase revient souvent dans la salle d'attente des médecins. Patientes et patients se souviennent de la faste époque où l'on pouvait appeler son médecin à toute heure, ou presque, et recevoir sa visite chez soi. Pour certains médecins, c'était même une obligation afin de fidéliser leurs patientèles à une époque où l'utilisation du terme « désert médical » était exceptionnelle.
En 2002, les médecins ont été incités à réduire la proportion de leurs visites à domicile dans une logique de réduction des dépenses de santé. Alors largement pratiquées par généralistes et même certains spécialistes, les indications de remboursement ont été restreintes aux personnes dans l'incapacité de se déplacer. En un peu moins de 20 ans, le nombre de visites a diminué de près de 80% pour atteindre vingt-deux millions par an. Et malgré la crise sanitaire et les deux confinements, en 2020, la part des visites a continué de baisser d'un peu plus de 4% supplémentaires.
Si des organismes comme SOS Médecins continuent de se rendre au domicile de patients de tout âges pour des problématiques d'urgence, le suivi médical en visite est effectué par les médecins « traitants ». Ces visites ont une importance toute particulière pour nombre de nos ainés. Ils font partie des multiples intervenants de santé à rendre leurs maintiens à domicile possibles, tout en représentant un des derniers liens avec la société. Si les médecins se déplacent moins, les infirmiers poursuivent leurs missions à domicile comme en témoigne la progression de leurs frais de déplacement de 6,6% l'année passée.
Du fait de leur rôle de coordinateurs des soins, la disparition progressive des visites met fortement en péril les choix de vie de celles et ceux qui souhaitant rester chez eux jusqu'à leur mort. En ces temps de distanciation sociale et de gestes barrières, le rôle des soignants est indispensable.
Six médecins généralistes de la région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, par leur engagement d'accompagner leurs patients dans leur volonté, poussent les portes de leurs visités. Les tableaux de ces rencontres donnent à voir l'importance des liens avec celles et ceux qu'on ne croise plus. Elles sont pourtant toujours présentes, et plus que jamais demandent l'attention que leur état nécessite.
The visited
"They don't do tours anymore! ". This phrase is often heard in the doctor's waiting room. Patients remember the good old days when they could call their doctor at almost any time and receive their visit at home. For some doctors, it was even an obligation in order to retain their patients at a time when the use of the term "medical desert" was exceptional.
In 2002, doctors were encouraged to reduce the proportion of their home visits in order to reduce healthcare costs. At that time, home visits were widely practiced by general practitioners and even some specialists, and the indications for reimbursement were restricted to people unable to travel. In a little less than 20 years, the number of visits has decreased by almost 80% to reach 22 million per year. And despite the health crisis and the two confinements, in 2020, the share of visits continued to decline by just over another 4%.
While organizations such as SOS Doctors continue to visit patients of all ages for emergency issues, the medical follow-up visits are made by the "treating" physicians. These visits are particularly important for many of our seniors. They are one of the many health care providers who make it possible for them to stay at home, while representing one of the last links with society. While doctors are travelling less, nurses are continuing their missions in the home, as shown by the 6.6% increase in their travel expenses last year.
Because of their role as care coordinators, the gradual disappearance of visits greatly jeopardizes the life choices of those who wish to remain at home until their death. In these times of social distancing and barrier gestures, the role of caregivers is indispensable.
Six general practitioners from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, through their commitment to accompany their patients in their will, push the doors of their visited. The pictures of these meetings show the importance of the links with those whom we no longer meet. Yet they are always present, and more than ever demand the attention their condition requires.
"They don't make visits anymore! ". This little phrase is often heard in the doctors' waiting room. Patients remember the good old days when they could call their doctor at almost any time and receive a visit at home. For some doctors, it was even an obligation in order to retain their patients at a time when the use of the term "medical desert" was exceptional.
In 2002, doctors were encouraged to reduce the proportion of their home visits in order to reduce healthcare costs. At that time, home visits were widely practiced by general practitioners and even some specialists, and the indications for reimbursement were restricted to people unable to travel. In a little less than 20 years, the number of visits has decreased by almost 80% to reach 22 million per year. And despite the health crisis and the two confinements, in 2020, the share of visits continued to decline by just over another 4%.
While organizations such as SOS Doctors continue to visit patients of all ages for emergency issues, the medical follow-up visits are made by the "treating" physicians. These visits are particularly important for many of our seniors. They are one of the many health care providers who make it possible for them to stay at home, while representing one of the last links with society. While doctors are travelling less, nurses are continuing their missions in the home, as shown by the 6.6% increase in their travel expenses last year.
Because of their role as care coordinators, the gradual disappearance of visits greatly jeopardizes the life choices of those who wish to remain at home until their death. In these times of social distancing and barrier gestures, the role of caregivers is indispensable.
Six general practitioners from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, through their commitment to accompany their patients in their will, push the doors of their visited. The pictures of these meetings show the importance of the links with those whom we no longer meet. They are however always present, and more than ever demand the attention that their condition requires.
