nytraveler

Sorry - but it's not clear exactly what the problem is, what sort of transit she can tolerate and what sort of medical support she needs.

Will it be possible for her to travel on any train or will she need to be evacuated by ambulance. Does she need to have a nurse with her - or an MD?

If it were me I would collect all of the info and contact your MD in the UK who can speak to the French MDs and help you determine what is best to do. If your own MD doesn't have suggestions for transport I would go to the local British consulate and ask them for recommendations. This is one of the reasons they are there - helping their citizens with severe unexpected problems.

crellston

Clearly no one here has any experience of telephoning a MD/GP in the UK. In the unlikely event of getting through in under 30 mins, they would not get to speak to a doctor, much less anyone who could provide any advice on what to do.

The British embassy similarly would be unlikely to provide much, if any assistance for someone foolish enough to travel without insurance.

These people are on their own.

MmePerdu

If the patient can't convey her wishes, I wonder if a boyfriend, rather than family members, can make any arrangements anyway.

fuzzbucket

The OP hasn't returned, so perhaps he's found a solution.

bilboburgler

"Clearly no one here has any experience of telephoning a MD/GP in the UK. In the unlikely event of getting through in under 30 mins, they would not get to speak to a doctor, much less anyone who could provide any advice on what to do. "

nonsense, i ring mine regulalarly,

BTW, walked in at lunch time two days ago, no appointment and saw a Dr in 5 mins.

crellston

Not nonsense at all - actual experience, both mine and of many others in the UK. So you got to see a doctor in 5mins! How convenient, but does that prove exactly? An anomaly in well published NHS statistics maybe.

crellston

PS, even if they are lucky enough to speak to someone, it is exceedingly unlikely that anyone at a GP surgery will be able, or willing to provide the information or assistance required.

nytraveler

I would think that this woman's personal physician would have enough interest in his patient to take such an emergency call immediately. And I can't imagine they would not have an opinion (or be able to get one immediately from a specialist if necessary) and be willing to speak to the patient's French doctor.

And as far as I'm aware every embassy or consulate keep lists of local MDs and/or pharmacists able to help their locals if needed - I know this is true of all American embassies. After all,what are they paid for if not to aid citizens stuck in extraordinary circumstances?

bilboburgler

c, just change your doctor

Odin

nytraveler, you don't understand. In the UK, people do not have personal physicians generally. There is no need for anyone to call their GP in the UK anyway as French healthcare is as good if not better than the UK. UK citizens have an EHIC card which entitles them to free or reduced medical care. You don't know if there are extraordinary circumstances as this was probably not a real situation. If this was a genuine question, then they can use companies like ISOS (international SOS) to get home. The OP is allegedly in Marseille, how many hospitals and medical facilities do you think there are in that area? Why can't they have medical treatment there and come home when they are able to? Not sure where you get the idea that a UK GP can speak to a French doctor and discuss a patient's medical needs.

Calling a GP in the UK will not help, you can almost never been seen same day and they are very unlikely to be of any help in this situation except to advise that they should get to the nearest hospital asap.

Christina

It doesn't make any sense to call someone's GP in another country for problems related to a traffic accident, anyway. Why should they, the GP has nothing to do with it and it's not an issue related to primary care. I do have a personal physician, more or less, but I would never in a million years tell some French hospital to call her if I had broken bones from a traffic accident in France, for example. What would be the purpose of that? A primary care doc in some other country is not qualified to advise what to do with a patient they have not seen or examined, who has had trauma or injury from a traffic accident. They would have no business trying to consult on that.

kerouac

Christina is absolutely right, although it could be useful if there is a need to find out about drug allergies and things like that. However, hospitals are quite used to treating accident victims with absolutely no information about them.

And the consulate's job is to provide information both about medical treatment and repatriation options. Asking a Fodor's forum about such things is probably both foolish and dangerous, which is something that the OP has probably already realised.

nytraveler

Assuming that the injuries are serious enough that the patient has to be accompanied back to the UK one would assume that the patient would immediately either be admitted to hospital or go to their MD's office for continuing care. (I don't know if the OP has a personal physician or not - but she certainly has an MD that she sees on some sort of basis who would oversee her care at home - or coordinate with the hospital if that is what she needs).

No one is saying medical care in France is not excellent. But if the OP is going to be hospitalized for some period of time - or need nursing care at home - she may well prefer that to happen near her home and family rather than in a foreign country.

And I have never heard of a consulate who will not help a citizen find resources in a medical emergency. We don;t know what is wrong but obviously this is more than a sprained ankle which could be treated in any emergency room.

DebbieDoesDulles

"The OP hasn't returned, so perhaps he's found a solution."

...or this might have just been an attempt to promote AmbuTrans. Seems funny that he "found some companies" but then only asks about one of them.


? ? ?

Hooameye

"BTW, walked in at lunch time two days ago, no appointment and saw a Dr in 5 mins."

Bilbo, don't ever tell where you live as everyone will want to move there . I've just waited 4 weeks to see a doctor and I count myself lucky, as it's usually 6 weeks.

Sue_xx_yy

<i> or this might have just been an attempt to promote AmbuTrans. </i>

Possibly, but the situation in general is worth discussing anyway.

***********

<i> I would never in a million years tell some French hospital to call [my GP] if I had broken bones from a traffic accident in France, for example. </i>

Christina I think you misunderstood. The suggestion made about contacting the GP was not made with a view to having that GP advise on the primary care you as patient would be receiving from the French physician. The suggestion was solely in the goal of coordinating a possible transfer. A GP has access to a medical file of information that may be relevant when considering such transfer.

And nobody has advised the transfer per se, which of course is beyond anyone here to do.

wunderbar2

I hope the OP has resolved everything and they're either home or were able to have their medical emergency taken care of.

I'd like to share my experience with the French healthcare system in Paris. Last December I was visiting Paris (from the US) on my own, around 5 pm I missed a small step in front of Notre Dame Cathedral and fell. A nice couple helped me up and said if I needed to see a doctor there was an emergency center nearby and pointed up the street.

I walked into Hotel-DIeu de Paris, explained my situation, was triaged and sent to X-Ray where it was found I had broken my wrist and crushed bones. Within 2 hours they had surgery set up for 8 am the following morning at Hôpital Cochin. I'm not sure why I was sent there, first they said they'd send me to the American Hospital even going so far as calling and having me speak to someone there but within 20 minutes they said they had changed plans and had made arrangements with Hôpital Cochin, gave me my X-rays and admitting info with the address and even called a taxi that night to take me back to my rental apartment.

The following morning I took a pre-arranged taxi to Hôpital Cochin, had surgery under local anesthesia where they put a plate and 8 screws/pins in my wrist. Surgery was done under a local as I had a flight home scheduled the following day and had they 'knocked me out' I'd have to stay at least one or two nights in hospital.

My experience and care was excellent. I can't express my thanks enough to the healthcare I received and so much more efficient that any I'd have received here at home.

No payment was asked for and once home, I did receive bills from both Hotel-Dieu de Paris and Hôpital Cochin which were paid online. Very efficient and easy to take care of.

Before I arrived home, my husband had set up an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon here, on our first meeting and after looking at my X-rays, he was extremely pleased by what had been done. I did have several follow ups and physical therapy and doing really well.

I'm still amazed at how I was cared for, a person who just walked in off the street. No payment required at that time, just care and concern of my well being. Sorry to go on but I just have so much gratitude for the French health care system.

MmePerdu

Would you mind telling us, wunderbar2, how much the bills were? That, too, would be very educational. Thanks for your story.

janisj

>>...or this might have just been an attempt to promote AmbuTrans.<<

Bingo.

Would you -- with a desperately ill girlfriend take time to search the interweb thingy, find Fodors, register and ask about a new British evac franchise (whose only testimonials are from the Netherlands) - me neither.

Great report wunderbar. It sounds like you received wonderful care. I had an equally positive experience in the UK -- thankfully my ankle wasn't broken so no surgery -- but just excellent treatment and no payment asked for.

Lois2

I think Debbie calls it right..blatant free ad for a company that seems to have no budget for promotion?