The emergency medical services (SAMU), which are increasingly in demand, responded to calls a little less quickly in 2022 than in previous years, according to statistics from the Drees (Statistical Directorate of Social Ministries) published Tuesday morning.
In 2022, 88% of calls to the emergency services were answered, including 80% in less than a minute, according to figures from the Drees. However, over the entire period 2018-2022, the averages were higher, with 89% of calls answered and 84% answered in less than a minute.
"A lack of staff in 2022, in a context of recruitment difficulties and a sharp increase in the workload, could be the cause" of this deterioration, notes the Drees.
Pressure has increased on medical regulation assistants and regulating physicians.
In 2022, the former processed an average of 5.5 files per hour (5 in 2021) and the latter 7.2 files per hour (6.7 in 2021).
In fact, the use of the Samu has been accelerated in recent years by Covid and by the increasing regulation of Emergency services: increasingly, patients are invited to call 15 – renamed the healthcare access service – before going to the Emergency Department, in order to determine whether their case falls under this service or the general medical service.
The rate of use of the Samu – number of regulation files opened per 100 inhabitants – reached 31% in 2022, a continuous increase since 2014, and with significant disparities between departments.
Seine-et-Marne has the lowest rate (19%), and Lozère the highest (78%).
The rates of use of the Samu "are particularly higher in departments where the elderly population (over 75 years old) is over-represented, where social deprivation is high, or in areas where accessibility to general practitioners and emergency services is more limited," indicates the Drees.
For 2023, "initial estimates suggest a stabilization of the rate of use of the Samu," she specifies.
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