My grandfather, who I'm told was the first pediatrician in Milwaukee, Wisconsin back when having a doctor just for kids was a novelty, used to make house calls. My dad, who was also a physician (albeit a specialist), never did. But the house call is very much alive in many communities in France, thanks to SOS Médecins who will come out to your place, day or night, seven days a week. Fortunately for me, I have no personal experience with them (knock on wood) but everyone I know who has called upon them has been happy with the service and the fees are quite reasonable. So if you're up with a child with a high fever, or your visiting parent starts to experience chest pain, or you have a nasty accident in the kitchen, keep this number by the phone: 3624.
5 comments:
Many, many thanks for this post! I don’t know how you do it, but you always seem to provide the information that I currently need about Paris. Serendipity? Perhaps. When I woke up yesterday, my head was spinning like I just got off of an out of control merry-go-round at the playground. Thinking that death was imminent, my husband and I started wondering what to do and realized that we didn’t know. If another falafel ever wrecks havoc on my stomach, we’ll call SOS Médecins. Thanks again!
Mary Kay: Have you taken a tour of my other site www.postedinparis.wordpress.com? My quirky humor is not in evidence there but there is a ton of practical information for newcomers to Paris.
We had occasion to call SOS Médicins twice last fall. Even lab technicians will come to the house! Under E200 for two doctor's visits and blood work. Had to go out for x-rays though.
http://areweinparisyet.blogspot.com/2010/08/time-out.html
http://areweinparisyet.blogspot.com/2010/09/round-and-round-and-up-and-down.html
Anne: I’ve been so busy gathering information about such topics as iPhone apps and fun things to do in Paris from both of your sites that I, unfortunately and rather stupidly, didn’t pay enough attention to the very informative section on health in Posted in Paris. Having lived in the tropics for years, I’ve had a few bouts of food poisoning but nothing that compares with yesterday. It seems that my husband had a similar “thing” after he indulged in too much steak and Bernaise sauce when he visited Paris as a child. Fortunately, whatever it was left as quickly as it came, so I’m back to enjoying myself.
Many years ago, when I first discovered the existence of SOS Médecins, I was amazed. I was even more amazed to see it covered in Michael Moore's movie, Sicko. I'd be willing to bet there are people who saw the movie and still think he was lying.
Post a Comment