President Emmanuel Macron has just presented his “health” reform for the (tens of) years to come. This is not yet another plan on the subject aimed merely at filling the notorious social security deficit, a true bottomless pit. It lays out the Elysée’s vision of our healthcare system, which is based on:
1/ An extremely clear-eyed assessment of the situation:
– Failure of expenditure regulation by reducing the supply of care,
– Strain on access to care and on the working conditions of health professionals,
– Evolution of our society (demographics, population health status, new pathologies, advancements in therapeutics and medical techniques …)
2/ Innovative proposals regarding the training pathways for healthcare professions, notably the removal of the “numerus clausus” at the end of the first year of medical school, which is the most emblematic measure.
3/ A fundamental reorganization of our health system. While many rightly praise the quality of the healthcare system in France, we must keep in mind the fragility of an increasingly technical and complex organization within a constrained economic environment. A new paradigm needs to be invented with changes in behaviors, the establishment of new priorities, the creation of new professions, changes in funding methods …
Seconds after the presidential speech, political reactions multiplied rapidly. Some points deserve debate, which is the very foundation of any democracy:
– We can question the risky bet of a health reform with inevitably limited financial resources.
– The legitimate call for the accountability of healthcare professionals should be accompanied by a similar call for the accountability of patients, who need to become true actors in their health.
But if all those who stiffen solely in criticism had acted when they were yesterday in power or deployed as much energy to make concrete proposals, we wouldn’t be where we are today!
Dr. Hervé CAEL, Co-delegate of the Alpes-Maritimes Federation of the Radical / Social Liberal Movement
