The house call from SOS Médecins

Why it is on the list

The doctor's house call in Paris started here: Marcel Lascar, a Paris general practitioner, founded the first SOS Médecins association on 20 June 1966 so that a doctor would come to the bedside at night, and cities abroad have since copied it.¹ SOS Médecins Grand Paris sends general practitioners and emergency doctors to every arrondissement of Paris, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.²³ Its charter asks for doctors experienced in emergency work, diagnostic and treatment equipment carried on the visit, and a written report of the visit for your own doctor.³ It works alongside the SAMU, the Paris fire brigade and the regional health agency.³

It handles general medical emergencies, not life-threatening ones: for those, the regulating doctor calls the SAMU.³ For a scan, surgery or a specialist at night, go to the 24/7 unit at the American Hospital of Paris instead.

How to get it

Call +33 1 47 07 77 77, or 3624 from a French line, or request the visit online.² A medical regulation assistant takes the call and, when needed, passes you to a regulating doctor, who decides on a visit, a consultation at one of the health centres or advice by telephone.²³ Have ready a number to call you back on (they may ask for a landline), the patient's name and age, the reason for the call and the exact address with building, floor, room number and any door code.² Stay where you are until the doctor arrives. The waiting time you are given is an estimated maximum and moves with demand and traffic.² Visits are charged at the regulated Sector 1 rates.² For a certificate or a duplicate prescription afterwards, the administrative office at 87 boulevard de Port Royal answers from 10 am to noon and 2 pm to 4 pm.²

Discretion

The doctor comes to the room; give the building, floor, room number and any door code when you call.² Doctors travel in white, radio-dispatched cars.³ A written report goes to your own doctor.³