Nurses' demonstrations, petitions and resignations of doctors, closings of services, deaths due to poor care, medical deserts… The news continues to remind us that our health system suffers from a shortage of resources. In this context, we wanted to know the feelings of patients, those we hear little or nothing.
For this, Le Parisien - Today in France and Cosem *, an association which has six health centers in Ile-de-France, some of which welcome emergencies, have come together to create with the Ipsos institute a barometer of patients and of health in Ile-de-France. A first.
This survey was conducted between October 25 and November 8, 2019 on the basis of a sample of 1,102 people aged 18 and over, residing in Ile-de-France and representative of the population (according to the quota method), interviewed via the Internet. First region of the country with twelve million inhabitants and the most dense healthcare offer in France (including 240 surgical, gynecology and obstetrics care establishments), Ile-de-France is nevertheless one of the most affected by the crisis in our healthcare system.
The unavailability of doctors, the main reason for giving up treatment
First lesson: Ile-de-France is experiencing major difficulties in accessing care which is worsening. For more than one in two respondents (54%), for five years, getting treatment has become "more difficult". So much so that 44% of the panel claims to have already given up on care.
For more than 40% of them, this renouncement is linked to the waiting times to meet a health professional. They mainly refer to the doctor's refusal to take on a new patient, the difficulty in finding a practitioner available in the evenings or at weekends and the delays for an appointment with the specialist.
The unavailability or the lack of doctors on the territory therefore became the first reason for renouncing care in Ile-de-France, before the financial reasons cited by one in three Ile-de-France residents! Overall, the situation seems so tense in the capital region that a quarter of the panel says they had to interrupt ongoing care.
Which professionals are the most difficult to access?
More than half of those polled (54%) mentioned in the first place ... dentists! A particularly difficult access in Seine-Saint-Denis and in Val-d'Oise.
Among the other specialties mentioned, general practitioners come in second position followed by dermatologists and ophthalmologists. Finally, one in three women has already given up seeing a gynecologist because of waiting times.
Quality of care degraded
This is one of the most worrying findings of our study: in five years, the quality of care has deteriorated in Ile-de-France, according to 48% of respondents. A feeling that clearly dominates among 35-59 year olds (55%). Note that 5% mention in passing "a lack of listening and consideration on the part of the health professional"!
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Finally, our survey brings out of the shadows of the populations whose renouncement of care is as important as unexpected: the under 35s without complementary health. They are 15% in Ile-de-France. Patients who will therefore not be able to benefit from the 100% health reform, which gradually eliminates until 2021 the rest of the charge for certain optical, dental and hearing aid treatments.
According to the latest OECD study, France is the third country where the rest of the patient's care is the lowest. Our study shows that, more than the rest, the deterioration of our healthcare system is beginning to have a worrying impact on patient behavior.
* Cosem: the Coordination of social and medical works is an association created in 1945 which has 6 health centers in Paris (5th, 8th, 9th, 9th and 19th arrondissements) at opposable prices. It employs 700 health professionals and sees two million patients a year.
