[The geriatric hotline improves practice, survey of general practitioners in the Saint-Etienne area]. / La hot line gériatrique, enquête auprès des médecins généralistes du bassin stéphanois.

ABSTRACT

Faced with an aging French population, the demand for unscheduled care is growing. In order to avoid referring elderly patients to emergency departments, which are unsuitable for them, the Regional Health Agencies have created telephone hot lines dedicated to geriatrics. They are exclusively accessible to general practitioners in order to obtain advice or a place in a geriatric hospital. General practitioners are rarely asked about the value of this tool in their practice.