On the trip on Friday in Cantal, François Bayrou announced a new measure aimed at fighting the medical deserts: doctors working near these areas under the realization will now have to guarantee up to two days of consultation per month.
An announcement that immediately caused the profession to react. Strike doctors, demonstrations: anger increases in the face of what many consider a court order incompatible with the liberal exercise of medicine.
But it is still a question: why not have explored an alternative path, much less coercive and, nevertheless, promising, that of teleconsultation?
20% of remote acts: an “arbitrary” threshold
Today, doctors are limited to a ceiling of 20% of their actions carried out remotely. A threshold considered too restrictive by many professionals, and even by the Court of Auditors who judged this “purely arbitrary” threshold in a report published at the beginning of the year. She recommends there to expand the possibilities of teleconsultation, especially in medically deserted areas.
A softening that would quickly improve access to care in the most isolated territories, without forcing doctors to move or weigh public spending even more. Demand exists, the tools too. What is missing is political will. However, Matignon is still firm. A source close to Prime Minister confirms:
While professionals express their exasperation and rural areas are struggling to be heard, a question is essential: why persist in restriction, when there are technological solutions and are only waiting to be released?
Source: BFM TV
