Safety : a smartphone app for doctors attacked

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Published the 09.10.2017 to 18h49

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sécuritéviolencemédecin

Insult, robbery, physical assault… The medical practices are not spared by the violence. In 2016, more than 960 calls were registered by the national Council of the Order of physicians (CNOM). A figure that would represent just the tip of the iceberg because many doctors do not warn the forces of law and order.

To combat this growing insecurity, the Observatory for the security of doctors advises practitioners to install armored doors, cameras in the entrance hall of the firm, or to require municipalities to monitor the area around the cabinet thanks to the devices of remote monitoring are already installed. The intercoms and videophones are also tools recommended by the College of physicians.

But, for doctors isolated in their offices, these solutions do not allow you to quickly call for help. The College of physicians of Ile-de-France is so close to an israeli start-up that has developed an alert system called Reporty, capable of preventing discretely in the police forces. Dr. Jean-Claude Zerat, vice-chairman of the Board of Ile-de-France Ordre des Médecins, hope to be able to offer this device to all the doctors of France.

That brings the solution calls Reporty ?
Dr. Jean-Claude Zerat : This smartphone application can be used in many areas. But we have asked the company to make several changes, so that it can adapt to the reality of the doctor in his office or at the patient’s home when he is visiting.

It allows, thanks to a discreet way as a watch or a pendant, you can trigger up the phone and call a call center. This is very important, is that the phone stays in standby. Nothing happens on the screen of the phone, but as soon as the system is started, the call center receives the image and the sound. It will then be able to assess the situation and send assistance if needed.

What is the advantage of this system, compared to those already on the market ?
Dr. Jean-Claude Zerat : It is an innovative system that I’d never seen before, and which surpass the alarm systems already existing, particularly with its ability to record the sound and the image. One can imagine that this information could be used in court proceedings.

From the end of the year, the company will also propose a geo-location in 3D. This is very interesting, because it will help to know what floor and in what room is the doctor. To my knowledge, Reporty is the only one able to do so.

The price is also an asset, since it is estimated that it would cost 2 to 4 euros per physician per year if it is installed in 20 000 practitioners. A conventional alarm may rise up to 50 euros per month, which makes quite a difference. The regional association of Ile-de-France is already in the process of looking for funding from the regional Council and the regional Agency of health (ARS). The Order is also ready to take charge of a party.

When are you going to deploy ?
Dr. Jean-Claude Zerat : We are only at the beginning of the process. The system was presented to us in June, and then at the end of September to the set of referents of security. On this occasion, we have tested the device and was able to demonstrate that the sound and video could be transmitted hundreds of miles.

We also need to decide who will take care of the call centre. As such, I requested an interview with the ministry of the Interior and of the Prefect of police of Paris.