As part of the development of its second local health contract, the urban community of Forbach develops consultation sessions with actors from the medical world. About fifty professionals have just met in Forbach “to discuss the coordinated multi-professional exercise”. The reflection focused on several questions: how to develop collaborations such as the constitution of primary care teams, health centers or the establishment of a territorial professional health community? “These collaborative forms aim to improve working conditions, patient monitoring and consultation. Led by the Federation of Coordinated Exercise and Health Centers of the Grand Est (Femage), the meeting generated many exchanges between the participants: general practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, dentists, osteopaths, pharmacists, gynecologists, speech therapists, explains Jean-Claude Hehn. The president of the urban community of Forbach considers that this consultation is essential and urgent to fight against the formation of medical deserts. “The situation, in terms of healthcare provision, is likely to worsen in the years to come due to the numerous retirements of general practitioners and specialists”, notes the elected official.
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Changing working methods
According to CartoSanté, of the 33 general practitioners listed in 2020 in the Forbach region, 78.8% were over 55 years old and only one doctor was under 40 years old. “We must act to persuade new general practitioners, specialists and other professionals to join our agglomeration”, continues Jean-Claude Hehn. Developing collaborations between professionals can be a solution. The Regional Health Agency offers financial support to encourage them. “We hope that this first fruitful meeting will lead to others which will make it possible to consider concrete responses to the difficulties raised. There is obviously a desire among several professionals to change working methods and to move towards more collaboration between each other. This is an unavoidable but not exclusive subject”, specifies Emmanuelle Fischer, in charge of the “health” mission within the Forbach intercommunality.
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A question of the attractiveness of the territory
“The attractiveness of the area absolutely depends on maintaining an adequate supply of care. Discussions are underway, they will continue because the issue is fundamental. All healthcare players are perfectly aware of this,” concludes Jean-Claude Hehn.
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