2023-09-30 06:04:13
Just like other specialties of medicine, dermatology is not spared from the shortage of professionals.
A study carried out by Ifop and Sanofi, published in September, revealed that 73% of French people find it difficult to access care provided by dermatologists.
This has consequences since 46% have already given up on having their skin problems treated, the waiting times being long (3 months).
In 20 years, the number of dermatologists in France has fallen from 4,000 to less than 3,000. A considerable drop which complicates access to care for the French.
The shortage of dermatologists in France is uniform, no area is spared. “We see that almost all departments are in decline. There are certain regions that are more affected than others, such as rural areas. Large cities are probably the most spared, Paris is the least affected city. There can be a certain heterogeneity within the same department,” explains Doctor Gaëlle Quéreux.
Shortage of dermatologists: many retirements for few entering the profession
The causes of the shortage of dermatologists in the region are multiple as the dermatologist explains: “This is due to retirements which are insufficiently replaced. We do not have enough arrivals of young interns while many dermatologists are retiring. »
The number of new doctors trained each year is set by the Government, this is the numerus clausus. And according to the dermatologist, this figure is insufficient to meet the needs : “For dermatology, we had 103 new professionals each year. This figure is much lower than the needs, it should be at least 125 so that we can balance the number of retirements. The profession having made several requests to the Government so that the numerus clausus increases, the number of dermatologists for the start of the 2023 school year has increased to 110.
Shortage of dermatologists: the problem of unhonored and unnecessary appointments
The doctor also wants to warn about appointments not kept daily which penalize other patients in need of an appointment.
Furthermore, she indicates that certain appointments are unnecessary: “Some patients request monitoring when it is not necessarily necessary. »
Shortage of dermatologists: the general practitioner is trained in dermatology
Faced with the lack of dermatologists and long waiting times, patients are looking for solutions. Gaëlle Quéreux explains that it is important, firstly, to consult your general practitioner who will be able to declare whether the patient needs to consult a dermatologist: “ The general practitioner is able to advise the patient if a consultation with the dermatologist is necessary. These doctors are trained in dermatology and can therefore advise patients on this subject. »
Shortage of dermatologists: tele-expertise for certain pathologies
Tele-consultations are not a solution for offering more slots to patients, as a physical consultation is often necessary afterwards. Video does not allow us to obtain quality images in order to make a precise diagnosis according to Gaëlle Quéreux.
However, the dermatologist explains the benefit of tele-expertise for certain pathologies: “It is not a question of live consultation with the patient, it is the general practitioner who sees a suspicious lesion and who will ask a dermatologist for an opinion. This saves time and helps triage patients who really need a dermatologist consultation. »
Shortage of dermatologists: pharmacists can advise patients
The pharmacist is often a professional of first resort, whatever the patient’s problem. He is able to provide some advice to patients according to the dermatologist.
In conclusion, the dermatologist advises patients who have a suspicion of a dermatological lesion not to hesitate to consult their general practitioner and, if necessary, a dermatologist, despite the long delays.
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