How to get medical advice over the phone ?

You may need a medical opinion at a time when health professionals’ offices are closed. In this case, you can request it over the phone. This solution has a real interest. Discover below the different reasons for ask for a medical opinion over the phone and the steps to follow to get it.

Getting medical advice over the phone: a good idea before going to the clinic

It is possible to have a medical consultation at night, on weekends and holidays thanks to the on-call physician services set up throughout France. These are intended to ensure the permanence of care outside the opening hours of medical offices. They can be reached every day from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., weekends and holidays.

Having a medical opinion on the phone before going to the hospital is definitely a good idea. Indeed, you will get a medical response adapted to your needs while saving precious time. To reach a doctor on call easily, you can dial 116 117. This free number has been set up by the Ministry of Health throughout France to allow people who need it to find a doctor on call not far from their home. It allows you to contact volunteer general practitioners whose mission is to advise and guide patients.

It is also possible to call 36 24. This is the number of SOS Doctors. With branches all over France, this association is available every day, 24 hours a day. It allows you to make a consultation for unscheduled care. You can therefore contact SOS Médecins in case of a medical problem, if your regular doctor is not available or when doctors’ offices are closed. The call is charged at 0.15 euro per minute.

Call a doctor on call to find out if your baby is in pain’is serious or not

Faced with a medical problem, you may have doubts as to whether it is urgent. This is for example the case when :

• Your baby seems to be in pain and does not stop crying;
• Your child seems to have an allergic reaction;
• A member of your family has a fever of more than 40°C;
• An elderly relative is ill.

In these situations, to get medical advice over the phone will allow you to be sure of the matter. You will get in touch with a doctor who will listen to you attentively and indicate the most appropriate solution to your problem. Depending on the seriousness of your case, the health care professional you will be referred to will be the one who will be responsible for your care:

• Refer you to the emergency room;
• You will be advised to go to a medical centre for a face-to-face consultation;
• Will organize a consultation at your home;
• Will ask you to wait until the doctor’s office opens.

The last case occurs when the doctor considers that your problem does not constitute an emergency. Therefore, getting medical advice over the phone can save you an unnecessary trip.

To avoid’To clog up the emergency room

More than 50% of people who experience a medical emergency go immediately to the emergency room. This reflex contributes to the congestion of these services and to the excessive lengthening of waiting times for patients who go there. However, in 40% of cases, going to the emergency room is not the right solution. Health professionals advise you to systematically ask for a medical opinion on the phone before going there.

Even in the case of a life-threatening emergency (a person who is no longer breathing, who is complaining of severe chest pains, who has been seriously burned, etc.), you will be able to provide a response to your call.), it is recommended to start by make a phone call for medical advice. More precisely, it is the SAMU that you should contact. To do so, you must dial 15. This toll-free number is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. By calling the SAMU, you will be put in touch with a regulating doctor who will tell you what to do while you are at the emergency room or until help arrives. With your call, caregivers will be more efficient because they will be better prepared.