5 things to know about visiting a doctor in France
We wish all our readers good health, but it's still the case that at some point you will probably have to visit a doctor in France. And when you're there, you may find some cultural differences - here's what you need to know.
First things first, healthcare in France is, in the main, excellent. Care is generally of a high standard, specialists and extra testing is readily available, and if you have lived in France for more than three months you can register in the state healthcare system.
Nevertheless, the system and the care itself may well be different to what you are used to.
1 Wear your best underwear
Trips to the doctor in France often involve a physical examination and for this it's likely that you'll have to lose at least some clothes.
Even if you're just visiting your GP or family doctor for a routine appointment, the doctor will frequently take the opportunity to give you a quick check-up, check heart rate, blood pressure etc.
If you have an injury or illness symptoms, the doctor will almost certainly physically examine you and you will probably have to take off at least your top and perhaps more. Stripping to your underwear is perfectly normal in a doctor's office, but in general your keep your undergarments on unless the doctor specifically tells you to remove them.
So make sure you're wearing some nice undies.
READ ALSO French vocab: What to say and do if you fall sick in France
2 Take some money
You have to pay to visit the doctor in France.
Even if you are covered by either the state health system or private medical insurance, the system is that you pay the doctor and then either claim the cost back on your health insurance and - if you are resident in France - the doctor swipes your carte vitale and the state reimburses you.
READ ALSO How to get a carte vitale and why you need one
These days more and more doctors accept debit cards, but not all do so it's wise to have some cash with you. The standard fee for a GP appointment is €25, but other appointments can be more. If you're booking the appointment via Doctolib, the doctor's profile will tell you whether they accept cards, cheques or cash.
How to use the French medical website Doctolib
3 Take stamps
Depending on your health issue, the doctor may order tests such as blood samples or a urine sample.
In some cases you will need to make an appointment at a medical lab to have these tests done, in other circumstances the doctor can do the tests in their office.
If the latter is the case, you will usually be asked to post the sample to the relevant lab for analysis. The doctor will seal it up in a sample pot and provide you with an envelope that is addressed, but not stamped. You will then need to affix the correct postage and put the envelope in the post.
4 Make your own specialist appointments
If you have an issue that requires a visit to a specialist, you can make an appointment directly. Sometimes your GP will recommend a specialist appointment, but if that's the case they won't book it for you, they will simply tell you that they recommend you see a dermatologist, gynaecologist, neurologist and it's then up to you to book the appointment.
For Brits, this is very different to what they are used to, since in the UK the normal process is for the GP to refer you to a relevant specialist and you simply wait for the letter and go along on the date that you are offered.
In France you go ahead and book it. The advantage of this is that you usually don't have to wait, and if one specialist has a waiting list you simply find another. The disadvantage is that it can feel quite daunting to be told to 'go and find a neurologist to do a brain scan'. Your GP may recommend a practitioner, otherwise it's a question of asking friends/neighbours for recommendations or going online to find someone in your area.
Likewise with routine screening appointments such as mammograms or cervical smear/pap smears - Assurance maladie will write to you and tell you when it's time, but then it's up to you to find the relevant practitioner and book an appointment.
If you decide you want check-ups more regularly, then you can book them yourself, you don't need to wait for the invitation.
5 Expect a prescription
It's a cliché but a largely true one to say that the French love medication - a study from 2017 showed that 90 percent of doctor's appointments result in a prescription for at least one type of medication.
READ ALSO Why do the French love medication so much?
French doctors happily prescribe remedies that can be bought over the counter in a pharmacy and if you have an injury you're likely to be given some kind of medical aid, such as a surgical collar.
For certain ailments, you may even be prescribed a spa cure.
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First things first, healthcare in France is, in the main, excellent. Care is generally of a high standard, specialists and extra testing is readily available, and if you have lived in France for more than three months you can register in the state healthcare system.
Nevertheless, the system and the care itself may well be different to what you are used to.
1 Wear your best underwear
Trips to the doctor in France often involve a physical examination and for this it's likely that you'll have to lose at least some clothes.
Even if you're just visiting your GP or family doctor for a routine appointment, the doctor will frequently take the opportunity to give you a quick check-up, check heart rate, blood pressure etc.
If you have an injury or illness symptoms, the doctor will almost certainly physically examine you and you will probably have to take off at least your top and perhaps more. Stripping to your underwear is perfectly normal in a doctor's office, but in general your keep your undergarments on unless the doctor specifically tells you to remove them.
So make sure you're wearing some nice undies.
READ ALSO French vocab: What to say and do if you fall sick in France
2 Take some money
You have to pay to visit the doctor in France.
Even if you are covered by either the state health system or private medical insurance, the system is that you pay the doctor and then either claim the cost back on your health insurance and - if you are resident in France - the doctor swipes your carte vitale and the state reimburses you.
READ ALSO How to get a carte vitale and why you need one
These days more and more doctors accept debit cards, but not all do so it's wise to have some cash with you. The standard fee for a GP appointment is €25, but other appointments can be more. If you're booking the appointment via Doctolib, the doctor's profile will tell you whether they accept cards, cheques or cash.
How to use the French medical website Doctolib
3 Take stamps
Depending on your health issue, the doctor may order tests such as blood samples or a urine sample.
In some cases you will need to make an appointment at a medical lab to have these tests done, in other circumstances the doctor can do the tests in their office.
If the latter is the case, you will usually be asked to post the sample to the relevant lab for analysis. The doctor will seal it up in a sample pot and provide you with an envelope that is addressed, but not stamped. You will then need to affix the correct postage and put the envelope in the post.
4 Make your own specialist appointments
If you have an issue that requires a visit to a specialist, you can make an appointment directly. Sometimes your GP will recommend a specialist appointment, but if that's the case they won't book it for you, they will simply tell you that they recommend you see a dermatologist, gynaecologist, neurologist and it's then up to you to book the appointment.
For Brits, this is very different to what they are used to, since in the UK the normal process is for the GP to refer you to a relevant specialist and you simply wait for the letter and go along on the date that you are offered.
In France you go ahead and book it. The advantage of this is that you usually don't have to wait, and if one specialist has a waiting list you simply find another. The disadvantage is that it can feel quite daunting to be told to 'go and find a neurologist to do a brain scan'. Your GP may recommend a practitioner, otherwise it's a question of asking friends/neighbours for recommendations or going online to find someone in your area.
Likewise with routine screening appointments such as mammograms or cervical smear/pap smears - Assurance maladie will write to you and tell you when it's time, but then it's up to you to find the relevant practitioner and book an appointment.
If you decide you want check-ups more regularly, then you can book them yourself, you don't need to wait for the invitation.
5 Expect a prescription
It's a cliché but a largely true one to say that the French love medication - a study from 2017 showed that 90 percent of doctor's appointments result in a prescription for at least one type of medication.
READ ALSO Why do the French love medication so much?
French doctors happily prescribe remedies that can be bought over the counter in a pharmacy and if you have an injury you're likely to be given some kind of medical aid, such as a surgical collar.
For certain ailments, you may even be prescribed a spa cure.
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