“Yvelines invests 10 million euros in 50 telemedicine cabins to combat medical desertification”

In 10 years, the Yvelines have seen their number of doctors decrease by 21%, and, as a direct consequence of this vertiginous fall, 15% of the inhabitants of this territory have no attending physician. It was necessary that Pierre Bédier, the president of the Department, uses strong words to justify the investment of 10 million euros for 50 cabins intended for telemedicine. “Basically, it’s not a skill that the law imposes on us but as we were already doing health with the PMI, the alarming situation pushed us to take this kind of decision” explains the former mayor of Mantais.

During this launch evening, everyone applauded with both hands the deployment of this device, however, Frédéric Prudhomme, the president of the Council of the Order of Physicians of Yvelines, recalled that he and his colleagues did not necessarily see that a good eye at the start. “I can’t hide from you that when the project was presented to us, there was a slight step back,” he says, “because we prioritize face-to-face consultation because it is the basis of the relationship. patient doctor. But like Pierre Bédier, the practitioner notes that his colleagues no longer welcome newcomers and sometimes sink into burnout because of the overwork linked to this excessive management. From now on, he even laurels laurels to a device allowing “to have a response adapted to each medical situation such as the renewal of a prescription and to be a local service for people with reduced mobility. Pierre Bédier then adds: “That’s why they will be located at town halls or in other important places such as universities”.

A temporary solution

But if Dr. Prudhomme finally let himself be convinced, it is surely thanks to the speech of H4D, the manufacturer of the device. “Our founder is a doctor,” recalls Valérie Cossutta-Trubert, the CEO of the Parisian company, “the cabins were built with health professionals and experts in telesemiology (fields of expertise and investigation adapted to the practice remote clinic, editor’s note). Moreover, his company and the Department announced a “surprise” with the deployment of a health bus. “A service that goes directly to meet patients via an itinerant journey every month in more than 5 towns in Yvelin” explains Valérie Cossutta-Trubert. With 150 towns below 2,000 inhabitants – out of 259 in total – Yvelines sees this in a good light.

However, Pierre Bédier moderates: “It is not a replacement solution. The Department is working to put in place other means to bring health professionals back to the territory, such as the construction of 22 medical houses, 13 of which have already been built. “What we would like to do, in conjunction with Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University, is to bring students directly to our struggling municipalities and convince them to settle there. Thus, this should allow us to find a good medical demography” theorizes the former Secretary of State. The end of the numerus clausus should contribute to this but the first results will not occur for ten years.

For the moment, eight Yvelin municipalities can boast of having their own teleconsultation systems: Chanteloup-les-Vignes, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Les Mureaux, Mantes-la-Jolie, Mantes-la-Ville, Meulan-en- Yvelines, Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Rambouillet. For those who must use them, you will need to register on jetrouveunmedecin.fr. After choosing your schedule and obtaining an access code, also bring your vital card to be tele-consulted. And in the event of digital illiteracy, the Department ensures that employees will be trained to accompany you throughout your appointment.