Hospital Mediator in French Guiana: Doctors Don't Look Down on Us; They Appreciate Our Work [Interview]

The West Guyana Hospital Center (CHOG) in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni employs four health mediators in the mobile units of the Healthcare Access Clinics (PASS) and the mobile healthcare support teams, as well as three social mediators. Raoul Robert Deul, one of the health mediators, steps in during medical consultations when a patient is unable to make themselves understood and when healthcare professionals need an intermediary to inform the patient in their own language about the diagnosis, the illness, and the treatment. He then accompanies them and refers them to appropriate resources and individuals (social workers, organizations, etc.) to help them access their rights. He emphasizes that he is well-received by doctors and the healthcare team. Doctors find it particularly helpful that mediators can go into detail about the illness and treatment, something they themselves cannot do. "However, currently classified as an 'administrative staff member' in the hospital’s job classification system, he would like a little more recognition of his skills. His greatest satisfaction comes from helping patients take charge of their own health."

Author(s): Quéruel Nathalie, Deul Raoul Robert

Publishing year: 2022

Pages: 39-40

Health in Action, 2022, n° 460, p. 39-40

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