By the Way

Written by Riviera Reporter

From Reporter 107

Pick a doctor, any doctor - the Italian lady's job

The French, we know, love talking about the state of their health … and their doctors. Latrophilia — a positive liking for medics — was encouraged until recently by the social security system which virtually allowed patients to visit as many doctors as they chose … and to get reimbursed for every consultation. This was an expensive privilege. But it’s on the way out. As from January 1st, every assuré — holder of a carte vitale — will get an official document requiring him or her to choose a permanent médecin traitant. In more familiar terms, that’s a family doctor who will hold the patient’s medical records and have general oversight of his health.

This doctor, usually a généraliste though a specialist may be chosen, will normally be the patient’s first port of call. He will decide if referral to a specialist is necessary. If the patient chooses to go directly to a specialist reimbursement will be at a lower rate (the only exception will be gynecologists, ophthalmologists and maybe psychiatrists). In the case of continuing treatment of chronic conditions only one referral will be necessary. The new rule will not be enforced in the case of emergencies. All this, the government hopes, will curtail what it calls “medical nomadism” — the habit of going from one doctor to another — and in the first year is expected to save E1 billion.

© Godfrey Corfield

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Quite a lot of people who cross the frontier from time to time have the impression that Italians smile more than the French. Maybe … but that famous sorriso italiano can sometimes reflect more than just friendliness. Take the case of 80-year old great-grandmother Vittoria Benetti. She used to hang around Ventimiglia station and strike up conversations with waiting travellers. Often she would suggest they stay by their bags while she went to fetch them a coffee. Nice old thing, you say. Well, hardly. She would slip a fast-working sleeping pill into the cup and then once her victims dozed off relieve them of whatever she could — handbag, purse, wallet, cell phone. She came unstuck when she gave an overdose to one woman who went into a coma for 12 hours. When she came round she told her story and recognised Vittoria from a police photograph. Si, si … Our smiling old lady had form. Her last conviction was for robbing poor boxes in local churches …

© Riviera Reporter

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