Medical appointments in France: waiting times are skyrocketing

According to the third barometer of the French Hospital Federation (FHF), getting an appointment with a general practitioner now takes three times longer than in 2019. The average wait time has reached 12 days, compared to 4 days seven years ago, a trend deemed "alarming" by the FHF. Regional disparities remain significant: in most regions, the wait exceeds two weeks, except in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Hauts-de-France. Paradoxically, Nouvelle-Aquitaine is among the regions where people most frequently forgo healthcare (66% of residents over five years).

Among specialists, dermatology remains the most overbooked discipline, with an average wait time of four and a half months, followed by cardiology and ENT. Only ophthalmology and pediatrics show a slight improvement: the wait time for an ophthalmologist appointment has decreased by five weeks, while pediatric appointments remain around three weeks.

Regional disparities persist: Normandy holds the record for waiting times in dermatology (24 weeks), and Centre-Val-de-Loire for cardiology (18 weeks). In psychiatry, waiting times vary from 6 weeks in Nouvelle-Aquitaine to 20 weeks in Hauts-de-France. Île-de-France remains the best-served region, with waiting times below the national average.

Faced with these access difficulties, the French are changing their behavior: nearly one in two went to the emergency room last year for a non-urgent reason. Delays in care are worsening in hospitals due to a lack of available doctors, and 73% of those surveyed reported having forgone at least one medical procedure in the last five years.

  Frank Verain

 WE RECOMMEND YOU

  > France: Towards the end of excess fees?

  > France: Getting a doctor's appointment is becoming more difficult in nearly half of the departments

  > The government wants to make the use of telemedicine more flexible.

USA: 34 states affected by foodborne illness

The United States is facing a sharp increase in gastrointestinal illnesses linked to a foodborne parasite. The federal agency responsible for protecting public health (CDC) reports nearly 7,000 confirmed ...

The sunscreens sold by Temu, Shein and AliExpress are very dangerous for your health.

The consumer advocacy group Que Choisir Ensemble tested ten sunscreens recently sold on Temu, AliExpress, and Shein. According to the group, none of the products offer satisfactory protection. Nine sunscreens ...

Ebola: The first case in France is "cured"

The first case of Ebola detected in France, a humanitarian doctor who returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 23, has now recovered after two negative PCR tests and has been discharged from ...

Gynecology: Hormonal Cycles at Every Age

Ladies, as you know, your body is far more complex than a man’s, due to the frequent changes in your hormonal cycles. Shorter cycles during perimenopaus