2024-09-05 09:00:10
“Relieve pressure on emergency rooms before the end of 2024.” Emmanuel Macron‘s promise was beautiful, but purely incantatory since it was not accompanied by the major structural measures essential to get hospitals out of the rut they have been sinking into for years.
This summer, the list of emergency rooms closed at night, every day or on a recurring basis has become a long litany, and the waiting times for patients who need to be hospitalized urgently are often measured in days, even weeks. Unthinkable just a few years ago, this observation of a major deficiency no longer seems to shock certain political leaders, as evidenced by the self-satisfaction, in mid-August, of the resigning Minister Delegate for Health, Frédéric Valletoux, explaining that with a “fifty hospitals under pressure”the situation is better than in 2023…
How can we get used to such figures, probably far from reality, which hide so much suffering for patients and their loved ones, so many complications and anxieties, and increasingly losses of treatment opportunities which risk resulting, unfortunately, in deaths that would normally be avoidable? Not to mention the working conditions of all hospital staff, on the front line facing the dysfunctions that they try to alleviate through unwavering commitment, but who cannot be asked to make unrewarded efforts and to find solutions to problems for which they are in no way responsible.
Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers Emergency services still under pressure throughout France: partial closures, explosion in waiting times…
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Summer is a difficult time because of the holidays, but the epidemics of autumn and winter cause, every year, the same congestion in the emergency room and in pediatrics. The psychiatric or geriatric services, however, are overwhelmed in all seasons. The crisis is deep and in no way cyclical.
Crucial question of staffing
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The saturation of emergency services is the consequence of the dysfunctions of the entire hospital system, or even of the health system as a whole. The three stages of the care pathway are affected by failures: upstream, by the inadequacies of early and regular care leading to increased recourse to emergency services; within emergency services, by staff shortages; downstream, by the lack of beds to hospitalize patients.
It is therefore imperative and urgent to build and deploy a major recovery plan for public hospitals, with the needs of patients as its primary objectives, and the defense of its staff as its lever for action. All institutional, organizational or technological reforms, however relevant they may be, will never be enough to get hospitals out of the crisis if caregivers are not considered at their true value, that is to say the vital resource and essential wealth of any health establishment. Care is above all human and, even more than any other public service, the hospital can only play its role with a sufficient number of staff, recognized for their skills and commitment, and equipped with the necessary means to implement their know-how.
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France’s Healthcare Crisis: A Looming Threat to Emergency Services
The French healthcare system has been facing a severe crisis, with emergency rooms struggling to cope with the overwhelming demand for medical attention. The situation has become so dire that over 7 million people were waiting for medical treatment or surgery by the end of 2022 [[1]]. The lack of staff, burnout, and medicine supply issues are among the primary problems plaguing French healthcare [[2]]. As a result, emergency services are under immense pressure, with long waiting times and partial closures becoming a norm.
The summer months have exacerbated the crisis, with many hospitals facing difficulties in maintaining overnight emergency services due to staff shortages [[3]]. The waiting times for patients who need urgent hospitalization have increased to days, even weeks, leading to unnecessary suffering, complications, and anxiety for patients and their loved ones. The situation is further aggravated by the self-satisfaction of political leaders, who seem to be disconnected from the reality on the ground.
The root cause of the crisis lies in the dysfunctions of the entire hospital system, which affects the three stages of the care pathway. The inadequacies of early and regular care lead to increased recourse to emergency services, while staff shortages and lack of beds exacerbate the problem. The crisis is deep and not cyclical, with psychiatric and geriatric services being overwhelmed throughout the year.
To address the crisis, it is imperative to build and deploy a major recovery plan for public hospitals, with the needs of patients as the primary objective. The defense of hospital staff must be a lever for action, as they are the ones who bear the brunt of the crisis. All institutional, organizational, or technological reforms must prioritize the needs of patients and staff.
Emmanuel Macron’s promise to relieve pressure on emergency rooms before the end of 2024 remains an empty promise without concrete structural measures to support it. The crisis requires immediate attention, and the government must take swift action to address the staff shortages, bed closures, and medicine supply issues. The lives of patients and the well-being of hospital staff depend on it.
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France healthcare system pros and cons
France’s Healthcare Crisis: A Looming Threat to Emergency Services
As the French healthcare system continues to struggle, the country’s emergency services are facing unprecedented pressure. The promise made by Emmanuel Macron to relieve pressure on emergency rooms before the end of 2024 seems like an empty promise, as the situation on the ground remains dire. According to a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO), out-of-pocket payments for health care are low in France, but gaps persist for people with low incomes [[1]]. This highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to address the healthcare crisis in France.
The current state of emergency services in France is alarming. The list of emergency rooms closed at night, every day, or on a recurring basis has become a long litany, and waiting times for patients who need to be hospitalized urgently are often measured in days, even weeks. This is unacceptable, and the situation is further exacerbated by the lack of staff, burnout, and medicine supply issues plaguing French healthcare [[2]]. The resigning Minister Delegate for Health, Frédéric Valletoux, has stated that with “fifty hospitals under pressure,” the situation is better than in 2023, but this self-satisfaction is misplaced, as the reality on the ground tells a different story.
The consequences of this crisis are far-reaching and devastating. Patients and their loved ones are forced to endure prolonged suffering, complications, and anxieties, which can result in avoidable deaths. Hospital staff, who are already overworked and underappreciated, are expected to make unrewarded efforts to find solutions to problems that are not their responsibility.
The Crucial Question of Staffing
The saturation of emergency services is a symptom of a larger problem – the dysfunctions of the entire hospital system and the healthcare system as a whole. The three stages of the care pathway are affected by failures: upstream, by the inadequacies of early and regular care leading to increased recourse to emergency services; within emergency services, by staff shortages; and downstream, by the lack of beds to hospitalize patients.
To address this crisis, it is essential to tackle the root causes of the problem. This includes overhauling working hours for hospital staff, addressing medicine supply issues, and increasing the number of healthcare professionals. Emmanuel Macron has unveiled a new plan to halt the “endless crisis” in France’s national healthcare system, but it remains to be seen whether this plan will yield tangible results [[3]].
Conclusion
France’s healthcare crisis is a complex issue that requires a comprehensive and sustained response. The government must take concrete steps to address the staffing shortages, improve working conditions for healthcare professionals, and ensure that patients receive timely and adequate care. Only then can the country hope to relieve pressure on emergency rooms and restore the confidence of its citizens in the healthcare system.
References:
[[1]]https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/22-04-2024-out-of-pocket-payments-for-health-care-are-low-in-france–but-gaps-persist-for-people-with-low-incomes–new-who-report-reveals
[[2]]https://www.aa.com.tr/en/health/frances-healthcare-crisis-what-you-should-know/2784361
[[3]]https://www.euronews.com/2023/01/06/emmanuel-macron-unveils-new-plan-to-stop-endless-crisis-in-french-healthcare
