[Partnership between patients' associations and health professionals: the case of the general practitioner].

Public authorities have opted to promote the representation of patients and health system users within health institutions and regional decision-making bodies. This raises one important question: that of the links and mutual benefits between independent primary providers and users' associations. Patients' associations in the health field are not that well-known among doctors, who are in fact only minutely affected by their activities and hence not very aware of them. The improved management of care provision, however, may well give rise to a triangular relationship: patient's association--primary care provider--hospital. The relationship between primary care and associations may largely depend upon hospital-based and delivered medical care. The "independent sector" referred to by these associations often concerns paramedical health professionals rather than independent GPs.