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In less than a year, three GPs have stopped practicing on Saint-Barthélemy, two have closed their practices and one, Dr. Weill, has passed away. As a result, there are now just five private practices left on the island. One of which is reportedly experiencing difficulties. A situation that worries health specialists for several reasons.
Firstly, the fact that only five GPs are now practicing on Saint-Barthélemy means that the island is painfully close to the critical threshold in terms of health coverage. According to the French health authority, the threshold is one doctor for every 1,400 inhabitants. According to the Agence régionale de la santé, it is one per 1,200.
At the health commission meeting on Friday August 8, the issue was raised and debated. One of the solutions proposed was for the Maison de la Santé in Saint-Jean to host a private GP during the peak tourist season. This could only be a temporary solution, as the Maison de la santé does not have the status of a multi-professional health center. The structure's vocation is to welcome specialists.
For Eric Djamakorzian, director of the Irénée de Bruyn hospital, the subject is "worrying". He explains: "When it comes to healthcare on the island, there are respective roles and interactions between community doctors and the hospital. If there aren't enough doctors on the island, we run the risk of seeing our emergency services turn into an ersatz form of community medicine. But that's not their role. This will lead to longer waits in the emergency department, and the time spent treating "bobology" will not be used to care for patients who are truly in need. "
There's also a problem at the Ehpad level, since it's the attending physicians who look after the residents. If they disappear, care will be complex.
The hospital director's call to proprietors
For general practitioners, the difficulty of setting up a practice is easily identifiable. It lies mainly in the price of rents. Particularly when it is specified that a practitioner must combine housing and practice. This problem is just as critical for emergency physicians.
In fact, the hospital director is appealing to the island's landlords and tenants to ensure "continuity of public health services and the hospital's vital missions". The pressure on emergency doctors is directly linked to the housing issue," insists Eric Djamakorzian. If we can't find housing for doctors and staff, we'll have to reduce our capacity. With all the risks this represents for the health of local residents. "He adds that "the construction of a new hospital is closely linked, in its capacity, to the ability to recruit qualified staff".
At a time when meetings on health issues are multiplying in the Collectivité, there is no doubt that this crucial question will be at the heart of the discussions. Solutions must be found to attract and retain healthcare professionals.
